IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v75y2022icp506-517.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The effect of carbon emission trading scheme on energy efficiency: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Tan, Xiujie
  • Liu, Yishuang
  • Dong, Hanmin
  • Zhang, Zhan

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global economic recession and even changed its development pattern. Improving energy efficiency has become one of the best choices worldwide to achieve green recovery in the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, this study explores the effect of carbon emission trading scheme (ETS) pilots on energy efficiency by the difference-in-differences (DID) model, using panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2009 to 2020. The following results are obtained: (1) Carbon ETS pilots could significantly increase energy efficiency by an overall effect of 1.82%, among which technical efficiency might be improved more obviously than others; (2) The average effect of carbon ETS pilots may differ between provinces because of some economic-regional factors, being more significant in regions with a large number of employees and high wages; (3) This positive effect is transferred through industrial structure and R&D investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Tan, Xiujie & Liu, Yishuang & Dong, Hanmin & Zhang, Zhan, 2022. "The effect of carbon emission trading scheme on energy efficiency: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 506-517.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:75:y:2022:i:c:p:506-517
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2022.06.012
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592622000984
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2022.06.012?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. Tanaka, Kenta & Managi, Shunsuke, 2021. "Industrial agglomeration effect for energy efficiency in Japanese production plants," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    2. Keppler, Jan Horst & Mansanet-Bataller, Maria, 2010. "Causalities between CO2, electricity, and other energy variables during phase I and phase II of the EU ETS," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 3329-3341, July.
    3. Tang, Maogang & Li, Xiuzhen & Zhang, Yun & Wu, Yingtao & Wu, Baijun, 2020. "From command-and-control to market-based environmental policies: Optimal transition timing and China’s heterogeneous environmental effectiveness," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 1-10.
    4. Stefano Clò, 2009. "The effectiveness of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 227-241, May.
    5. Ren, Shenggang & Sun, Helin & Zhang, Tao, 2021. "Do environmental subsidies spur environmental innovation? Empirical evidence from Chinese listed firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    6. De Cara, Stéphane & Jayet, Pierre-Alain, 2011. "Marginal abatement costs of greenhouse gas emissions from European agriculture, cost effectiveness, and the EU non-ETS burden sharing agreement," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(9), pages 1680-1690, July.
    7. Zheng Fang & Jiang Yu, 2020. "The role of human capital in energy-growth nexus: an international evidence," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 1225-1247, March.
    8. Paul Lanoie & Jérémy Laurent‐Lucchetti & Nick Johnstone & Stefan Ambec, 2011. "Environmental Policy, Innovation and Performance: New Insights on the Porter Hypothesis," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(3), pages 803-842, September.
    9. Pan, Xiongfeng & Ai, Bowei & Li, Changyu & Pan, Xianyou & Yan, Yaobo, 2019. "Dynamic relationship among environmental regulation, technological innovation and energy efficiency based on large scale provincial panel data in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 428-435.
    10. Palomino, Juan C. & Rodríguez, Juan G. & Sebastian, Raquel, 2020. "Wage inequality and poverty effects of lockdown and social distancing in Europe," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    11. Panle Jia Barwick & Shanjun Li & Liguo Lin & Eric Yongchen Zou, 2024. "From Fog to Smog: The Value of Pollution Information," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(5), pages 1338-1381, May.
    12. Cheng, Zhonghua & Li, Lianshui & Liu, Jun & Zhang, Huiming, 2018. "Total-factor carbon emission efficiency of China's provincial industrial sector and its dynamic evolution," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 330-339.
    13. Innes, Robert, 2004. "Enforcement costs, optimal sanctions, and the choice between ex-post liability and ex-ante regulation," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 29-48, March.
    14. Isaac Ehrlich & Yun Pei, 2021. "Endogenous Immigration, Human and Physical Capital Formation, and the Immigration Surplus," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 15(1), pages 34-85.
    15. Ather Hassan Dar & Somesh Kumar Mathur & Sila Mishra, 2021. "The Efficiency of Indian Banks: A DEA, Malmquist and SFA Analysis with Bad Output," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 19(4), pages 653-701, December.
    16. Lenihan, Helena & McGuirk, Helen & Murphy, Kevin R., 2019. "Driving innovation: Public policy and human capital," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    17. Aldieri, Luigi & Gatto, Andrea & Vinci, Concetto Paolo, 2021. "Evaluation of energy resilience and adaptation policies: An energy efficiency analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    18. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    19. Wu, Feng & Huang, Ningyu & Zhang, Fan & Niu, Lulu & Zhang, Yali, 2020. "Analysis of the carbon emission reduction potential of China's key industries under the IPCC 2 °C and 1.5 °C limits," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    20. Huber-Stearns, Heidi R. & Cheng, Antony S., 2017. "The evolving role of government in the adaptive governance of freshwater social-ecological systems in the western US," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 40-48.
    21. Ali Alhamami & Ioan Petri & Yacine Rezgui & Sylvain Kubicki, 2020. "Promoting Energy Efficiency in the Built Environment through Adapted BIM Training and Education," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, May.
    22. Beneito, Pilar & Rochina-Barrachina, María Engracia & Sanchis, Amparo, 2015. "The path of R&D efficiency over time," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 57-69.
    23. Wang, Changjian & Wang, Fei & Zhang, Xinlin & Yang, Yu & Su, Yongxian & Ye, Yuyao & Zhang, Hongou, 2017. "Examining the driving factors of energy related carbon emissions using the extended STIRPAT model based on IPAT identity in Xinjiang," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 51-61.
    24. Meredith Fowlie & Robyn Meeks, 2021. "The Economics of Energy Efficiency in Developing Countries," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 15(2), pages 238-260.
    25. Mary Ellen Benedict & David McClough, 2020. "Explaining the Gender Salary Gap for the Educated," Journal of Economic Insight, Missouri Valley Economic Association, vol. 46(1), pages 15-50.
    26. Heutel, Garth & Zhang, Xin, 2021. "Efficiency wages, unemployment, and environmental policy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    27. Borozan, Djula, 2018. "Technical and total factor energy efficiency of European regions: A two-stage approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 521-532.
    28. Yan, Yaxue & Zhang, Xiaoling & Zhang, Jihong & Li, Kai, 2020. "Emissions trading system (ETS) implementation and its collaborative governance effects on air pollution: The China story," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    29. Liao, Xianchun & Shi, Xunpeng (Roc), 2018. "Public appeal, environmental regulation and green investment: Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 554-562.
    30. Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary & Naoyuki Yoshino & Han Phoumin, 2021. "Analyzing the Characteristics of Green Bond Markets to Facilitate Green Finance in the Post-COVID-19 World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-24, May.
    31. Minniti, Antonio & Venturini, Francesco, 2017. "The long-run growth effects of R&D policy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 316-326.
    32. repec:dau:papers:123456789/5269 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Montalbano, P. & Nenci, S., 2019. "Energy efficiency, productivity and exporting: Firm-level evidence in Latin America," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 97-110.
    34. Rosalia Castellano & Gaetano Musella & Gennaro Punzo, 2017. "Structure of the labour market and wage inequality: evidence from European countries," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 2191-2218, September.
    35. Ang, B.W. & Goh, Tian, 2018. "Bridging the gap between energy-to-GDP ratio and composite energy intensity index," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 105-112.
    36. Serdar Ongan & Cem Isik & Dilek Ozdemir, 2021. "Economic growth and environmental degradation: evidence from the US case environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis with application of decomposition," Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 14-21, January.
    37. Klaus Rennings & Christian Rammer, 2011. "The Impact of Regulation-Driven Environmental Innovation on Innovation Success and Firm Performance," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 255-283.
    38. 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.
    39. Yanlin Ma & Yuting Liu & Andrea Appolloni & Junqi Liu, 2021. "Does green public procurement encourage firm's environmental certification practice? The mediation role of top management support," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(3), pages 1002-1017, May.
    40. Chang-Jing Ji & Yu-Jie Hu & Bao-Jun Tang, 2018. "Research on carbon market price mechanism and influencing factors: a literature review," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 92(2), pages 761-782, June.
    41. Ju, Yiyi & Fujikawa, Kiyoshi, 2019. "Modeling the cost transmission mechanism of the emission trading scheme in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 172-182.
    42. Jingbo Cui & Junjie Zhang & Yang Zheng, 2018. "Carbon Pricing Induces Innovation: Evidence from China's Regional Carbon Market Pilots," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 108, pages 453-457, May.
    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. Yuxi Chen & Mengting Zhang & Chencheng Wang & Xin Lin & Zhijie Zhang, 2023. "High-Tech Industrial Agglomeration, Government Intervention and Regional Energy Efficiency: Based on the Perspective of the Spatial Spillover Effect and Panel Threshold Effect," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-29, April.
    2. Pan, Yuling & Dong, Feng, 2023. "The impacts of energy finance policies and renewable energy subsidy on energy vulnerability under carbon peaking scenarios," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    3. Sheng, Pengfei & Liu, Weiliang, 2024. "Does the government's green commitment matter for energy conservation in China? The role of public spending," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1061-1073.
    4. Wu, He & Feng, Ziyang & Sun, Tianjun & Li, Rongrong & Zhao, Haoyuan, 2024. "Efficiency, sustainability, and resilience a trifecta for a green economic recovery through natural resource markets," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    5. Hao Su & Shuo Yang, 2022. "Spatio-Temporal Urban Land Green Use Efficiency under Carbon Emission Constraints in the Yellow River Basin, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-28, October.
    6. Huang, Wenyang & Wang, Yizhi, 2024. "Identifying price bubbles in global carbon markets: Evidence from the SADF test, GSADF test and LPPLS method," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    7. Che, Shuai & Wang, Jun, 2022. "Policy effectiveness of market-oriented energy reform: Experience from China energy-consumption permit trading scheme," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    8. Shaolong Zeng & Qinyi Fu & Fazli Haleem & Yang Shen & Weibin Peng & Man Ji & Yilong Gong & Yilong Xu, 2024. "China’s carbon trading pilot policy, economic stability, and high-quality economic development," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    9. Yang, Zhenbing & Zhao, Ziyi & Shao, Shuai & Yang, Lili, 2023. "Carbon regulation and enterprise investment: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    10. Daoping Chen & Haifeng Liao & Hong Tan, 2024. "Can carbon trading policy boost upgrading and optimization of industrial structure? An empirical study based on data from China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    11. Chen, Fujiang & She, Wuyue & Zeng, Feng & Gao, Meiben & Wen, Chao & Liu, Guoxin & Wu, Lixun & Wu, Yang & Zhang, Chi, 2024. "Resource depletion and conservation: Balancing demands on resources for green recovery and sustainability," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    12. Wang, Haijun & Li, Lingchunzi & Sun, Jiaxuan & Shen, Minghao, 2023. "Carbon emissions abatement with duopoly generators and eco-conscious consumers: Carbon tax vs carbon allowance," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 786-804.
    13. Yan Xiao & Yan Zhang & Jiekuan Zhang, 2023. "The Impact of Carbon Emission Trading on Industrial Green Total Factor Productivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-18, April.
    14. Jiang, Hongli & Hu, Wenjie & Guo, Ziqing & Hou, Yan & Chen, Tingqiang, 2024. "E-commerce development and carbon emission efficiency: Evidence from 240 cities in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 586-603.
    15. Xin-gang, Zhao & Shuran, Hu & Hui, Wang & Haowei, Chen & Wenbin, Zhang & Wenjie, Lu, 2024. "Energy, economic, and environmental impacts of electricity market-oriented reform and the carbon emissions trading: A recursive dynamic CGE model in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    16. Eryu Zhang & Xiaoyu He & Peng Xiao, 2022. "Does Smart City Construction Decrease Urban Carbon Emission Intensity? Evidence from a Difference-in-Difference Estimation in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-16, December.
    17. Yan, Xiang & Xin, Boqing & Cheng, Changgao & Han, Zhiyong, 2024. "Unpacking energy consumption in China's urbanization: Industry development, population growth, and spatial expansion," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PA).
    18. Chen, Zhihao & He, Yong & Liao, Nuo, 2024. "Can carbon emission trading policy enhance the synergistic emission reduction of carbon dioxide and air pollutants? A comparative study considering different pollutants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 305(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. Liu, Haomin & Zhang, Zaixu & Zhang, Tao & Wang, Liyang, 2020. "Revisiting China’s provincial energy efficiency and its influencing factors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    2. Yongqi Feng & Haolin Zhang & Yung-ho Chiu & Tzu-Han Chang, 2021. "Innovation efficiency and the impact of the institutional quality: a cross-country analysis using the two-stage meta-frontier dynamic network DEA model," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(4), pages 3091-3129, April.
    3. Yu, Wantao & Ramanathan, Ramakrishnan & Nath, Prithwiraj, 2017. "Environmental pressures and performance: An analysis of the roles of environmental innovation strategy and marketing capability," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 160-169.
    4. Zhong, Meirui & Huang, Gangli & He, Ruifang, 2022. "The technological innovation efficiency of China's lithium-ion battery listed enterprises: Evidence from a three-stage DEA model and micro-data," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    5. Meleddu, Marta & Vecco, Marilena & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2024. "The Role of Voluntary Environmental Policies Towards Achieving Circularity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    6. Wang, Ying & Deng, Xiangzheng & Zhang, Hongwei & Liu, Yujie & Yue, Tianxiang & Liu, Gang, 2022. "Energy endowment, environmental regulation, and energy efficiency: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    7. Fang, Kai & Zhang, Qifeng & Long, Yin & Yoshida, Yoshikuni & Sun, Lu & Zhang, Haoran & Dou, Yi & Li, Shuai, 2019. "How can China achieve its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions by 2030? A multi-criteria allocation of China’s carbon emission allowance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C), pages 380-389.
    8. Chang, Ming-Chung, 2020. "An application of total-factor energy efficiency under the metafrontier framework," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    9. Martina Halaskova & Beata Gavurova & Kristina Kocisova, 2020. "Research and Development Efficiency in Public and Private Sectors: An Empirical Analysis of EU Countries by Using DEA Methodology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-22, August.
    10. Lyu, Chaofeng & Xie, Zhe & Li, Zhi, 2022. "Market supervision, innovation offsets and energy efficiency: Evidence from environmental pollution liability insurance in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    11. Xue, Longfei & Gong, Yeming & Yang, Bingnan & Xu, Xianhao, 2024. "Resilience, efficiency fluctuations, and regional heterogeneity in disaster: An empirical study on logistics," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    12. Li Xie & Chunlin Chen & Yihua Yu, 2019. "Dynamic Assessment of Environmental Efficiency in Chinese Industry: A Multiple DEA Model with a Gini Criterion Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-22, April.
    13. Caiming Wang & Jian Li, 2020. "The Evaluation and Promotion Path of Green Innovation Performance in Chinese Pollution-Intensive Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, May.
    14. Chen, Xing & Lin, Boqiang, 2021. "Towards carbon neutrality by implementing carbon emissions trading scheme: Policy evaluation in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    15. Xiaohong Xiao & Gailei He & Shuo Zhang & Simeng Zhang, 2023. "Impact of China’s Low-Carbon City Pilot Policies on Enterprise Energy Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-24, July.
    16. Pan, Xiongfeng & Chu, Junhui & Tian, Mengyuan & Li, Mengna, 2022. "Non-linear effects of outward foreign direct investment on total factor energy efficiency in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).
    17. Magdalena Ziolo & Sandra Jednak & Gordana Savić & Dragana Kragulj, 2020. "Link between Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Economic and Financial Development in OECD Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-28, November.
    18. Hepei Zhang & Zhangbao Zhong, 2022. "How Does Environmental Regulation Affect the Green Growth of China’s Citrus Industry? The Mediating Role of Technological Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-19, October.
    19. Holý, Vladimír, 2024. "Ranking-based second stage in data envelopment analysis: An application to research efficiency in higher education," Operations Research Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 12(C).
    20. Karasoy, Alper, 2022. "Is innovative technology a solution to Japan's long-run energy insecurity? Dynamic evidence from the linear and nonlinear methods," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(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:ecanpo:v:75:y:2022:i:c:p:506-517. 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.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    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.