IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolec/v212y2023ics0921800923001830.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does central ecological transfer payment enhance local environmental performance? Quasi-experimental evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Cheng, Yuhong
  • Ma, Ben
  • Sun, Yidan

Abstract

Central transfer payment for the key ecosystem zones has become the most funded payments for ecosystem services program in China. The ecological fiscal transfer (EFT) aims to improve the eco-environmental quality of the targeted counties by providing supplementary fiscal funds, though not strictly specifying the usage. This study employs a time-varying difference-in-difference strategy to investigate the impact of EFT on environmental outcome by using a comprehensive county-level dataset covering 1949 counties from 2004 to 2015. Estimates show that the policy had a positive impact on local air quality, whereas the dynamic effect is diminishing. The policy effect is achieved through more stringent environmental regulation and stricter industrial access. Reduction of industrial dust emission is more noticeable than that of sulfur dioxide. There is an economic scale effect that the scale of a county can increase effectiveness of EFT on air quality improvement, whereas an opposite development stage effect will undermine its effectiveness. Heterogeneities were detected concerning transfer intensity, intervention period, geographical region, and ecosystem type. These findings facilitate a deep understanding how EFT could play a significant role in protecting local environment in large developing countries. Several policy implications are drawn to enhance the effectiveness of the largest EFT program.

Suggested Citation

  • Cheng, Yuhong & Ma, Ben & Sun, Yidan, 2023. "Does central ecological transfer payment enhance local environmental performance? Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:212:y:2023:i:c:s0921800923001830
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.107920
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800923001830
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.107920?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nils Droste & Claudia Becker & Irene Ring & Rui Santos, 2018. "Decentralization Effects in Ecological Fiscal Transfers: A Bayesian Structural Time Series Analysis for Portugal," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 71(4), pages 1027-1051, December.
    2. Zhang, Bing & Chen, Xiaolan & Guo, Huanxiu, 2018. "Does central supervision enhance local environmental enforcement? Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 70-90.
    3. Droste, N. & Ring, I. & Santos, R. & Kettunen, M., 2018. "Ecological Fiscal Transfers in Europe – Evidence-Based Design Options for a Transnational Scheme," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 373-382.
    4. Jacobson, Louis S & LaLonde, Robert J & Sullivan, Daniel G, 1993. "Earnings Losses of Displaced Workers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(4), pages 685-709, September.
    5. Kumar, Surender & Managi, Shunsuke, 2009. "Compensation for environmental services and intergovernmental fiscal transfers: The case of India," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 3052-3059, October.
    6. Raj Chetty & Adam Looney & Kory Kroft, 2009. "Salience and Taxation: Theory and Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1145-1177, September.
    7. David M. Konisky, 2007. "Regulatory Competition and Environmental Enforcement: Is There a Race to the Bottom?," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(4), pages 853-872, October.
    8. Xing Li & Chong Liu & Xi Weng & Li-An Zhou, 2019. "Target Setting in Tournaments: Theory and Evidence from China," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(623), pages 2888-2915.
    9. Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C. & Zhao, Jun, 2020. "Doubly robust difference-in-differences estimators," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 219(1), pages 101-122.
    10. Hering, Laura & Poncet, Sandra, 2014. "Environmental policy and exports: Evidence from Chinese cities," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 296-318.
    11. Lima de Paulo, Felipe Luiz & Camões, Pedro Jorge Sobral, 2019. "Ecological Fiscal Transfers for Biodiversity Conservation Policy: A Transaction Costs Analysis of Minas Gerais, Brazil," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-1.
    12. Begossi, Alpina & May, Peter H. & Lopes, Priscila F. & Oliveira, Luiz E.C. & da Vinha, Valéria & Silvano, Renato A.M., 2011. "Compensation for environmental services from artisanal fisheries in SE Brazil: Policy and technical strategies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 25-32.
    13. Cheng Chen & Hannes J. König & Bettina Matzdorf & Lin Zhen, 2015. "The Institutional Challenges of Payment for Ecosystem Service Program in China: A Review of the Effectiveness and Implementation of Sloping Land Conversion Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-28, May.
    14. Changan Gong & Jianhua Zhang & Hao Liu, 2021. "Do industrial pollution activities in China respond to ecological fiscal transfers? Evidence from payments to national key ecological function zones," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 64(7), pages 1184-1203, June.
    15. Sauquet, Alexandre & Marchand, Sébastien & Féres, José Gustavo, 2014. "Protected areas, local governments, and strategic interactions: The case of the ICMS-Ecológico in the Brazilian state of Paraná," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 249-258.
    16. Michael Greenstone & Guojun He & Ruixue Jia & Tong Liu, 2022. "Can Technology Solve the Principal-Agent Problem? Evidence from China's War on Air Pollution," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 4(1), pages 54-70, March.
    17. Allen Blackman & Zhengyan Li & Antung A. Liu, 2018. "Efficacy of Command-and-Control and Market-Based Environmental Regulation in Developing Countries," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 10(1), pages 381-404, October.
    18. Greenstone, Michael & Gayer, Ted, 2009. "Quasi-experimental and experimental approaches to environmental economics," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 21-44, January.
    19. repec:oup:econjl:v:129:y:2019:i:10:p:2888-2915. is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Callaway, Brantly & Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C., 2021. "Difference-in-Differences with multiple time periods," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 200-230.
    21. Jonah Busch & Irene Ring & Monique Akullo & Oyut Amarjargal & Maud Borie & Rodrigo S. Cassola & Annabelle Cruz-Trinidad & Nils Droste & Joko Tri Haryanto & Ulan Kasymov & Nataliia Viktorivna Kotenko &, 2021. "A global review of ecological fiscal transfers," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 756-765, September.
    22. Brajer, Victor & Mead, Robert W. & Xiao, Feng, 2008. "Health benefits of tunneling through the Chinese environmental Kuznets curve (EKC)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 674-686, July.
    23. Brajer, Victor & Mead, Robert W. & Xiao, Feng, 2011. "Searching for an Environmental Kuznets Curve in China's air pollution," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 383-397, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yuan, Huaxi & Zou, Longhui & Feng, Yidai, 2023. "How to achieve emission reduction without hindering economic growth? The role of judicial quality," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    2. Jonah Busch & Irene Ring & Monique Akullo & Oyut Amarjargal & Maud Borie & Rodrigo S. Cassola & Annabelle Cruz-Trinidad & Nils Droste & Joko Tri Haryanto & Ulan Kasymov & Nataliia Viktorivna Kotenko &, 2021. "A global review of ecological fiscal transfers," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 756-765, September.
    3. Ruggiero, P.G.C. & Pfaff, A. & Pereda, P. & Nichols, E. & Metzger, J.P., 2022. "The Brazilian intergovernmental fiscal transfer for conservation: A successful but self-limiting incentive program," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    4. Yu, Xiaolin & Wan, Kai & Du, Qunyang, 2023. "Can carbon market policies achieve a “point-to-surface” effect?—Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    5. Dongmin Kong & Mengxu Xiong & Ni Qin, 2023. "Tax incentives and firm pollution," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(3), pages 784-813, June.
    6. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew, 2021. "Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 254-277.
    7. Niu, Geng & Jin, XiaoShu & Wang, Qi & Zhou, Yang, 2022. "Broadband infrastructure and digital financial inclusion in rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    8. Liu, Yuanyuan & Liu, Guanchun & Zhang, Chengsi, 2021. "Local land supply and fiscal incentives for R&D: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    9. Callaway, Brantly & Karami, Sonia, 2023. "Treatment effects in interactive fixed effects models with a small number of time periods," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(1), pages 184-208.
    10. Zhu, Dandan & Chen, Ke & Sun, Chuanwang & Lyu, Chaofeng, 2023. "Does environmental pollution liability insurance promote environmental performance? Firm-level evidence from quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    11. KOIZUMI Hideto, 2024. "Cascades of Tax Policy through Production Networks: Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 24025, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    12. KOIZUMI, Hideto, 2024. "Cascades of Tax Policy through Production Networks : Evidence from Japan," TDB-CAREE Discussion Paper Series E-2023-03, Teikoku Databank Center for Advanced Empirical Research on Enterprise and Economy, Graduate School of Economics, Hitotsubashi University.
    13. Li, Yutao & Zhang, Jinning & Lyu, Yanwei, 2023. "Does telecommunications infrastructure promote entrepreneurship in developing countries? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 106-119.
    14. Chen, Yvonne Jie & Li, Pei & Lu, Yi, 2018. "Career concerns and multitasking local bureaucrats: Evidence of a target-based performance evaluation system in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 84-101.
    15. Chen, Shiyi & Jiang, Lingduo & Liu, Wanlin & Song, Hong, 2022. "Fireworks regulation, air pollution, and public health: Evidence from China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    16. Liu, Yongzheng & Zhang, Xiaoge, 2023. "Environmental regulation, political incentives, and mortality in China," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    17. Bas Scheer & Wiljan van den Berge & Maarten Goos & Alan Manning & Anna Salomons, 2022. "Alternative Work Arrangements and Worker Outcomes: Evidence from Payrolling," CPB Discussion Paper 435, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    18. Ying Zhang & Yingli Huang, 2023. "Killing Two Birds with One Stone or Missing One of Them? The Synergistic Governance Effect of China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme on Pollution Control and Carbon Emission Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    19. He, Zhenyu & Tang, Yuwei, 2023. "Local environmental constraints and firms’ export product quality: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    20. Blesse, Sebastian & Diegmann, André, 2022. "The place-based effects of police stations on crime: Evidence from station closures," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:212:y:2023:i:c:s0921800923001830. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.