IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/masfgc/v25y2020i7d10.1007_s11027-019-09897-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can a low-carbon development path achieve win-win development: evidence from China’s low-carbon pilot policy

Author

Listed:
  • Cenjie Liu

    (Hunan University of Finance and Economics)

  • Zhongbao Zhou

    (Hunan University)

  • Qing Liu

    (Hunan University)

  • Rui Xie

    (Hunan University)

  • Ximei Zeng

    (Hunan University)

Abstract

Low-carbon pilot (LCP) policy aims to not only achieve economic development but also address climate change problems in China. With a difference-in-difference (DID) approach, this study provides empirical evidence to support the policy’s implementation by analysing its impacts on green total factor productivity (GTFP). We find that the implementation of the low-carbon pilot policy has a significant positive impact on GTFP. The low-carbon pilot policy significantly improves the GTFP in the year following implementation, and its efficacy diminishes over time. In terms of mechanism analysis, the policy enables China to achieve win-win development through industry structure adjustment and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. Innovation does not immediately improve GTFP, although the low-carbon pilot policy promotes regional innovation. Our results provide strong support for China’s recent third set of low-carbon pilot policies. As for global mitigation strategy, countries should incorporate the low-carbon development path into their strategic planning. In particular, developing countries should enforce more efforts on low-carbon development as such development path may improve their green productivity. It helps narrow the gap between developing and developed countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Cenjie Liu & Zhongbao Zhou & Qing Liu & Rui Xie & Ximei Zeng, 2020. "Can a low-carbon development path achieve win-win development: evidence from China’s low-carbon pilot policy," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 1199-1219, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:masfgc:v:25:y:2020:i:7:d:10.1007_s11027-019-09897-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11027-019-09897-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11027-019-09897-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11027-019-09897-y?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. Stefan Ambec & Mark A. Cohen & Stewart Elgie & Paul Lanoie, 2013. "The Porter Hypothesis at 20: Can Environmental Regulation Enhance Innovation and Competitiveness?," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 7(1), pages 2-22, January.
    2. Cai, Xiqian & Lu, Yi & Wu, Mingqin & Yu, Linhui, 2016. "Does environmental regulation drive away inbound foreign direct investment? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 73-85.
    3. Rubashkina, Yana & Galeotti, Marzio & Verdolini, Elena, 2015. "Environmental regulation and competitiveness: Empirical evidence on the Porter Hypothesis from European manufacturing sectors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 288-300.
    4. Ben Kheder, Sonia & Zugravu, Natalia, 2012. "Environmental regulation and French firms location abroad: An economic geography model in an international comparative study," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 48-61.
    5. Eli Berman & Linda T. M. Bui, 2001. "Environmental Regulation And Productivity: Evidence From Oil Refineries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(3), pages 498-510, August.
    6. Dariush Khezrimotlagh & Yao Chen, 2018. "Data Envelopment Analysis," International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, in: Decision Making and Performance Evaluation Using Data Envelopment Analysis, chapter 0, pages 217-234, Springer.
    7. Cole, Matthew A. & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Shimamoto, Kenichi, 2005. "Industrial characteristics, environmental regulations and air pollution: an analysis of the UK manufacturing sector," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 121-143, July.
    8. 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.
    9. Yufei Wang & Qijiao Song & Jijiang He & Ye Qi, 2015. "Developing low-carbon cities through pilots," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(sup1), pages 81-103, December.
    10. Shao, Liuguo & He, Yingying & Feng, Chao & Zhang, Shijing, 2016. "An empirical analysis of total-factor productivity in 30 sub-sub-sectors of China's nonferrous metal industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 264-269.
    11. Michael Greenstone & John A. List & Chad Syverson, 2011. "The Effects of Environmental Regulation on the Competiveness of U.S. Manufacturing," Working Papers 11-03, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    12. Maia David & Bernard Sinclair-Desgagné, 2005. "Environmental Regulation and the Eco-Industry," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 141-155, September.
    13. Zhou, Yan & Xing, Xinpeng & Fang, Kuangnan & Liang, Dapeng & Xu, Chunlin, 2013. "Environmental efficiency analysis of power industry in China based on an entropy SBM model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 68-75.
    14. Masayuki Kudamatsu, 2012. "Has Democratization Reduced Infant Mortality In Sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence From Micro Data," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 10(6), pages 1294-1317, December.
    15. Ge, Jiali & Fu, Yang & Xie, Rui & Liu, Yu & Mo, Wenyang, 2018. "The effect of GVC embeddedness on productivity improvement: From the perspective of R&D and government subsidy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 22-31.
    16. Tadeusz Skoczkowski & Sławomir Bielecki & Arkadiusz Węglarz & Magdalena Włodarczak & Piotr Gutowski, 2018. "Impact assessment of climate policy on Poland's power sector," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 1303-1349, December.
    17. Raymond, Wladimir & Mairesse, Jacques & Mohnen, Pierre & Palm, Franz, 2015. "Dynamic models of R & D, innovation and productivity: Panel data evidence for Dutch and French manufacturing," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 285-306.
    18. Zhang, Ning & Wei, Xiao, 2015. "Dynamic total factor carbon emissions performance changes in the Chinese transportation industry," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 409-420.
    19. Li, Hongqi & Lu, Yue & Zhang, Jun & Wang, Tianyi, 2013. "Trends in road freight transportation carbon dioxide emissions and policies in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 99-106.
    20. Wang, Shaojian & Zeng, Jingyuan & Liu, Xiaoping, 2019. "Examining the multiple impacts of technological progress on CO2 emissions in China: A panel quantile regression approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 140-150.
    21. Gray, Wayne B, 1987. "The Cost of Regulation: OSHA, EPA and the Productivity Slowdown," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(5), pages 998-1006, December.
    22. Xie, Rui & Fang, Jiayu & Liu, Cenjie, 2017. "The effects of transportation infrastructure on urban carbon emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 199-207.
    23. Li, Ke & Lin, Boqiang, 2015. "Metafroniter energy efficiency with CO2 emissions and its convergence analysis for China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 230-241.
    24. Chung, Sunghoon, 2014. "Environmental regulation and foreign direct investment: Evidence from South Korea," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 222-236.
    25. Simon Alder & Lin Shao & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2016. "Economic reforms and industrial policy in a panel of Chinese cities," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 305-349, December.
    26. Rachmat Mulia & Atiek Widayati & Suyanto & Putra Agung & Muhammad Zulkarnain, 2014. "Low carbon emission development strategies for Jambi, Indonesia: simulation and trade-off analysis using the FALLOW model," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 773-788, August.
    27. Li, Ke & Lin, Boqiang, 2016. "Impact of energy conservation policies on the green productivity in China’s manufacturing sector: Evidence from a three-stage DEA model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 351-363.
    28. Chen, Zhao & Kahn, Matthew E. & Liu, Yu & Wang, Zhi, 2018. "The consequences of spatially differentiated water pollution regulation in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 468-485.
    29. Dylan G. Rassier & Dietrich Earnhart, 2010. "The Effect of Clean Water Regulation on Profitability: Testing the Porter Hypothesis," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 86(2), pages 329-344.
    30. Brännlund, Runar & Lundgren, Tommy & Marklund, Per-Olov, 2014. "Carbon intensity in production and the effects of climate policy—Evidence from Swedish industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 844-857.
    31. R. Ramanathan, 2002. "Combining indicators of energy consumption and CO 2 emissions: a cross-country comparison," International Journal of Global Energy Issues, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 17(3), pages 214-227.
    32. Spyridon Stavropoulos & Ronald Wall & Yuanze Xu, 2018. "Environmental regulations and industrial competitiveness: evidence from China," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(12), pages 1378-1394, March.
    33. Zhang, Yue-Jun & Peng, Yu-Lu & Ma, Chao-Qun & Shen, Bo, 2017. "Can environmental innovation facilitate carbon emissions reduction? Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 18-28.
    34. Shi, Xinzheng & Xu, Zhufeng, 2018. "Environmental regulation and firm exports: Evidence from the eleventh Five-Year Plan in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 187-200.
    35. Newman, Carol & Rand, John & Talbot, Theodore & Tarp, Finn, 2015. "Technology transfers, foreign investment and productivity spillovers," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 168-187.
    36. R. D. Banker & A. Charnes & W. W. Cooper, 1984. "Some Models for Estimating Technical and Scale Inefficiencies in Data Envelopment Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(9), pages 1078-1092, September.
    37. Hamamoto, Mitsutsugu, 2006. "Environmental regulation and the productivity of Japanese manufacturing industries," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 299-312, November.
    38. Zhu, Xuehong & Chen, Ying & Feng, Chao, 2018. "Green total factor productivity of China's mining and quarrying industry: A global data envelopment analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1-9.
    39. Tone, Kaoru, 2001. "A slacks-based measure of efficiency in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(3), pages 498-509, May.
    40. Rogge, Karoline S. & Schneider, Malte & Hoffmann, Volker H., 2011. "The innovation impact of the EU Emission Trading System -- Findings of company case studies in the German power sector," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(3), pages 513-523, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Han, Jixuan & Li, Tianshu & Philbin, Simon P., 2023. "Does low-carbon pilot policy in China improve corporate profitability? The role of innovation and subsidy," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(2).
    2. Zhou, Di & Yin, Xiaoshuo & Xie, Dongchun, 2023. "Local governments’ environmental targets and green total factor productivity in Chinese cities," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).

    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. Cenjie Liu & Chunbo Ma & Rui Xie, 2020. "Structural, Innovation and Efficiency Effects of Environmental Regulation: Evidence from China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Pilot," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 75(4), pages 741-768, April.
    2. Liu, Cenjie & Fang, Jiayu & Xie, Rui, 2021. "Energy policy and corporate financial performance: Evidence from China's 11th five-year plan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    3. Guorong Chen & Changyan Liu, 2023. "Can Low–Carbon City Development Stimulate Population Growth? Insights from China’s Low–Carbon Pilot Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-22, October.
    4. Yuping Deng & Yanrui Wu & Helian Xu, 2019. "Environmental Regulation and Export Product Quality: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 19-14, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    5. Liu, Donghua & Ren, Shenggang & Li, Wenming, 2022. "SO2 emissions trading and firm exports in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    6. Yanhong Feng & Shuanglian Chen & Pierre Failler, 2020. "Productivity Effect Evaluation on Market-Type Environmental Regulation: A Case Study of SO 2 Emission Trading Pilot in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-27, October.
    7. Peng, Jiaying & Xie, Rui & Ma, Chunbo & Fu, Yang, 2021. "Market-based environmental regulation and total factor productivity: Evidence from Chinese enterprises," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 394-407.
    8. Liu, Wei & Zhao, Zhihui & Wen, Zhao & Cheng, Shixiong, 2022. "Environmental regulation and OFDI: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 191-208.
    9. Albrizio, Silvia & Kozluk, Tomasz & Zipperer, Vera, 2017. "Environmental policies and productivity growth: Evidence across industries and firms," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 209-226.
    10. Mathilde Maurel & Thomas Pernet & Zhao Ruili, 2019. "Financial Dependencies, Environmental Regulation and Pollution Intensity: Evidence From China," Post-Print halshs-02423350, HAL.
    11. Qi Sun & Qiaosheng Wu & Jinhua Cheng & Pengcheng Tang & Siyao Li & Yantuo Mei, 2020. "How Industrialization Stage Moderates the Impact of China’s Low-Carbon Pilot Policy?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-23, December.
    12. Mian Yang & Yining Yuan & Fuxia Yang & Dalia Patino-Echeverri, 2021. "Effects of environmental regulation on firm entry and exit and China’s industrial productivity: a new perspective on the Porter Hypothesis," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 23(4), pages 915-944, October.
    13. Li, Hai-ling & Zhu, Xue-hong & Chen, Jin-yu & Jiang, Fei-tao, 2019. "Environmental regulations, environmental governance efficiency and the green transformation of China's iron and steel enterprises," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Wang, Chunhua & Wu, JunJie & Zhang, Bing, 2018. "Environmental regulation, emissions and productivity: Evidence from Chinese COD-emitting manufacturers," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 54-73.
    15. Ren, Shenggang & Hu, Yucai & Zheng, Jingjing & Wang, Yangjie, 2020. "Emissions trading and firm innovation: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    16. Yanyun Li & Faqin Lin & Wenxiao Wang, 2022. "Environmental regulation and inward foreign direct investment: Evidence from the eleventh Five‐Year Plan in China," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3), pages 684-707, July.
    17. Zhang, Yijun & Li, Xiaoping & Song, Yi & Jiang, Feitao, 2021. "Can green industrial policy improve total factor productivity? Firm-level evidence from China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 51-62.
    18. Rubashkina, Yana & Galeotti, Marzio & Verdolini, Elena, 2015. "Environmental regulation and competitiveness: Empirical evidence on the Porter Hypothesis from European manufacturing sectors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 288-300.
    19. Lingui Qin & Songqi Liu & Cuijing Zhan & Xiaofang Duan & Shuaishuai Li & Yao Hou, 2023. "Impact of China’s Local Government Competition and Environmental Regulation on Total Factor Productivity," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, March.
    20. Li, Xinze & Du, Kerui & Ouyang, Xiaoling & Liu, Lili, 2022. "Does more stringent environmental regulation induce firms' innovation? Evidence from the 11th Five-year plan in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(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:spr:masfgc:v:25:y:2020:i:7:d:10.1007_s11027-019-09897-y. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.