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Low-carbon city pilots and site selection for migrant employment: Evidence from China

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  • Chen, Guifu
  • Wei, Boyu

Abstract

This study examines the impact of China's Low-Carbon City Pilot (LCCP) program on employment site selection using the difference-in-differences (DID) method. We found that the LCCP significantly promoted the inflow of labor into pilot cities by promoting city-level industrial innovation and facilitating the transfer of industrial firms, while high-tech laborers were more inclined to migrate. We also found that laborers lacked incentives to integrate into local society after moving to the pilot cities, but their welfare levels certainly improved. The findings demonstrate the employment effects of a low-carbon policy and provide micro-empirical evidence for the driving factors of urban industrial transformation and labor geographical distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Guifu & Wei, Boyu, 2024. "Low-carbon city pilots and site selection for migrant employment: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:131:y:2024:i:c:s0140988324001257
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107417
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    Cited by:

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    JEL classification:

    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects

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