IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v156y2022ics1364032121012314.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The dynamic effect of environmental regulation on firms’ energy consumption behavior-Evidence from China's industrial firms

Author

Listed:
  • Dong, Zhaoyingzi
  • Wang, Shaojian
  • Zhang, Weiwen
  • Shen, Huijun

Abstract

To mitigate the climate change and reduce energy consumption, the Chinese government has applied a variety of polices during the last two decades. Based on data from Industrial enterprises emission and pollution database (IEPED) and Annual Survey of Industrial Firms (ASIF), this study takes Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Plan (ESER) since 2006 as a policy shock to explore the impact of the ESER on industrial firms' energy consumption behavior. The result shows: Firstly, ESER encourages industrial firms to consume less coal, petroleum and natural gas on average. Secondly, by dividing the firms into several groups by the ownership structure, the firm size and the firm age, this paper finds different firms have different strategies in terms of changing their energy consumption to respond ESER. For example, public firms work harder on reducing coal and petroleum consumption per production while private firms prefer to use more natural gas per production. Thirdly, the dynamic effect analysis portrays that traditional fossil fuel intensity declines immediately after energy conversation policy, while the negative effect on industrial firms’ natural gas intensity could occur with some delay. Lastly, in terms of total energy consumption, average coal and petroleum consumption of polluted industries and that of non-polluted industries have no difference after the policy. In addition, ESER only has a short-term effect on energy consumption. These results are helpful in understanding how to design an efficient environmental regulation system and protect the environment simultaneously.

Suggested Citation

  • Dong, Zhaoyingzi & Wang, Shaojian & Zhang, Weiwen & Shen, Huijun, 2022. "The dynamic effect of environmental regulation on firms’ energy consumption behavior-Evidence from China's industrial firms," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:156:y:2022:i:c:s1364032121012314
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111966
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121012314
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111966?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. Quentin Grafton, R. & Kompas, Tom & Van Long, Ngo, 2012. "Substitution between biofuels and fossil fuels: Is there a green paradox?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 328-341.
    2. Yang, Fuxia & Yang, Mian & Nie, Hualin, 2013. "Productivity trends of Chinese regions: A perspective from energy saving and environmental regulations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 82-89.
    3. Philippe Aghion & Antoine Dechezleprêtre & David Hémous & Ralf Martin & John Van Reenen, 2016. "Carbon Taxes, Path Dependency, and Directed Technical Change: Evidence from the Auto Industry," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(1), pages 1-51.
    4. Lange, Ian & Redlinger, Michael, 2019. "Effects of stricter environmental regulations on resource development," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 60-87.
    5. Wang, Shaojian & Zeng, Jingyuan & Huang, Yongyuan & Shi, Chenyi & Zhan, Peiyu, 2018. "The effects of urbanization on CO2 emissions in the Pearl River Delta: A comprehensive assessment and panel data analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 1693-1706.
    6. Thomas Eichner & Rüdiger Pethig, 2011. "Carbon Leakage, The Green Paradox, And Perfect Future Markets," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 52(3), pages 767-805, August.
    7. Francesco Ricci, 2007. "Environmental policy and growth when inputs are differentiated in pollution intensity," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 38(3), pages 285-310, November.
    8. Antoine Dechezleprêtre & Matthieu Glachant, 2014. "Does Foreign Environmental Policy Influence Domestic Innovation? Evidence from the Wind Industry," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 58(3), pages 391-413, July.
    9. Fekete, Hanna & Kuramochi, Takeshi & Roelfsema, Mark & Elzen, Michel den & Forsell, Nicklas & Höhne, Niklas & Luna, Lisa & Hans, Frederic & Sterl, Sebastian & Olivier, Jos & van Soest, Heleen & Frank,, 2021. "A review of successful climate change mitigation policies in major emitting economies and the potential of global replication," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    10. Sandberg, Nina Holck & Næss, Jan Sandstad & Brattebø, Helge & Andresen, Inger & Gustavsen, Arild, 2021. "Large potentials for energy saving and greenhouse gas emission reductions from large-scale deployment of zero emission building technologies in a national building stock," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    11. Brandt, Loren & Van Biesebroeck, Johannes & Zhang, Yifan, 2012. "Creative accounting or creative destruction? Firm-level productivity growth in Chinese manufacturing," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 339-351.
    12. Sinn, Hans-Werner, 2012. "The Green Paradox: A Supply-Side Approach to Global Warming," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262016680, April.
    13. Petra Moser & Alessandra Voena, 2012. "Compulsory Licensing: Evidence from the Trading with the Enemy Act," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(1), pages 396-427, February.
    14. Ouyang, Xiaoling & Fang, Xingming & Cao, Yan & Sun, Chuanwang, 2020. "Factors behind CO2 emission reduction in Chinese heavy industries: Do environmental regulations matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    15. 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.
    16. Wang, Yan & Shen, Neng, 2016. "Environmental regulation and environmental productivity: The case of China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 758-766.
    17. Kesidou, Effie & Wu, Lichao, 2020. "Stringency of environmental regulation and eco-innovation: Evidence from the eleventh Five-Year Plan and green patents," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    18. Hans-Werner Sinn, 2009. "The Green Paradox," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 10(03), pages 10-13, October.
    19. 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.
    20. Zhu, Runqing & Lin, Boqiang, 2021. "Energy and carbon performance improvement in China's mining Industry:Evidence from the 11th and 12th five-year plan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    21. Eskeland, Gunnar S. & Harrison, Ann E., 2003. "Moving to greener pastures? Multinationals and the pollution haven hypothesis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 1-23, February.
    22. Wang, Shaojian & Shi, Chenyi & Fang, Chuanglin & Feng, Kuishuang, 2019. "Examining the spatial variations of determinants of energy-related CO2 emissions in China at the city level using Geographically Weighted Regression Model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 95-105.
    23. Cole, Matthew A., 2004. "Trade, the pollution haven hypothesis and the environmental Kuznets curve: examining the linkages," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 71-81, January.
    24. Zhao, Jun & Jiang, Qingzhe & Dong, Xiucheng & Dong, Kangyin, 2020. "Would environmental regulation improve the greenhouse gas benefits of natural gas use? A Chinese case study," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    25. Popp, David & Newell, Richard, 2012. "Where does energy R&D come from? Examining crowding out from energy R&D," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 980-991.
    26. Wang, Shaojian & Fang, Chuanglin & Guan, Xingliang & Pang, Bo & Ma, Haitao, 2014. "Urbanisation, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions in China: A panel data analysis of China’s provinces," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 738-749.
    27. Zhang, Zengkai & Zhu, Kunfu & Hewings, Geoffrey J.D., 2017. "A multi-regional input–output analysis of the pollution haven hypothesis from the perspective of global production fragmentation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 13-23.
    28. Mandal, Sabuj Kumar, 2010. "Do undesirable output and environmental regulation matter in energy efficiency analysis? Evidence from Indian Cement Industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6076-6083, October.
    29. Price, Lynn & Levine, Mark D. & Zhou, Nan & Fridley, David & Aden, Nathaniel & Lu, Hongyou & McNeil, Michael & Zheng, Nina & Qin, Yining & Yowargana, Ping, 2011. "Assessment of China's energy-saving and emission-reduction accomplishments and opportunities during the 11th Five Year Plan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 2165-2178, April.
    30. 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.
    31. Verma, Pramit & Kumari, Tanu & Raghubanshi, Akhilesh Singh, 2021. "Energy emissions, consumption and impact of urban households: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    32. Zhao, Xu & Luo, Dongkun, 2017. "Driving force of rising renewable energy in China: Environment, regulation and employment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 48-56.
    33. Rith, Monorom & Fillone, Alexis M. & Biona, Jose Bienvenido Manuel M., 2020. "Energy and environmental benefits and policy implications for private passenger vehicles in an emerging metropolis of Southeast Asia – A case study of Metro Manila," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    34. Iris Claus & Les Oxley & Siqi Zheng & Cong Sun & Ye Qi & Matthew E. Kahn, 2014. "The Evolving Geography Of China'S Industrial Production: Implications For Pollution Dynamics And Urban Quality Of Life," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 709-724, September.
    35. Lee, Seungtaek & Chong, Wai Oswald, 2016. "Causal relationships of energy consumption, price, and CO2 emissions in the U.S. building sector," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 220-226.
    36. Michael Greenstone, 2002. "The Impacts of Environmental Regulations on Industrial Activity: Evidence from the 1970 and 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments and the Census of Manufactures," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 110(6), pages 1175-1219, December.
    37. Panwar, N.L. & Kaushik, S.C. & Kothari, Surendra, 2011. "Role of renewable energy sources in environmental protection: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 1513-1524, April.
    38. Wang, Shaojian & Li, Guangdong & Fang, Chuanglin, 2018. "Urbanization, economic growth, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions: Empirical evidence from countries with different income levels," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2144-2159.
    39. Zhao, Xiaoli & Yin, Haitao & Zhao, Yue, 2015. "Impact of environmental regulations on the efficiency and CO2 emissions of power plants in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 238-247.
    40. Choi, Wonjae & Yoo, Eunji & Seol, Eunsu & Kim, Myoungsoo & Song, Han Ho, 2020. "Greenhouse gas emissions of conventional and alternative vehicles: Predictions based on energy policy analysis in South Korea," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    41. Xu, Jin-Hua & Fan, Ying & Yu, Song-Min, 2014. "Energy conservation and CO2 emission reduction in China's 11th Five-Year Plan: A performance evaluation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 348-359.
    42. Shaojian Wang & Chuanglin Fang & Laixiang Sun & Yongxian Su & Xiuzhi Chen & Chunshan Zhou & Kuishuang Feng & Klaus Hubacek, 2019. "Decarbonizing China’s Urban Agglomerations," Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 109(1), pages 266-285, January.
    43. Jin, Yanhong & Lin, Liguo, 2014. "China's provincial industrial pollution: the role of technical efficiency, pollution levy and pollution quantity control," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(1), pages 111-132, February.
    44. Huan Zhang, 2016. "Exploring the impact of environmental regulation on economic growth, energy use, and CO2 emissions nexus in China," 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. 84(1), pages 213-231, October.
    45. Shiyi Chen, 2011. "The Abatement of Carbon Dioxide Intensity in China: Factors Decomposition and Policy Implications," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34, pages 1148-1167, July.
    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. Boxuan Li & Meng Niu & Jing Zhao & Xi Zheng & Ran Chen & Xiao Ling & Jinxin Li & Yuxiao Wang, 2023. "Agricultural Cultivation Structure in Arid Areas Based on Water–Carbon Nexus—Taking the Middle Reaches of the Heihe River as an Example," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Dong, Zhaoyingzi & Liu, Haijing & Zhang, Weiwen, 2024. "The effect of information disclosure on low-carbon innovation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    3. 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).
    4. Liu, Xiaoqian & Wang, Chang'an & Wu, Haitao & Yang, Cunyi & Albitar, Khaldoon, 2023. "The impact of the new energy demonstration city construction on energy consumption intensity: Exploring the sustainable potential of China's firms," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    5. Dong, Zhaoyingzi & Xiao, Yue, 2024. "Carbon emissions trading policy and climate injustice: A study on economic distributional impacts," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    6. Du, Kerui & Liu, Xueyue & Zhao, Cheng, 2023. "Environmental regulation mitigates energy rebound effect," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    7. Zhao, Nan & Liu, Xiaojie & Zhang, Zizhe, 2022. "Does competition from the informal sector affect firms’ energy intensity? Evidence from China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 130-142.

    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. Xu, Hao & Xu, Jingxuan & Wang, Jie & Hou, Xiang, 2023. "Reduce production or increase efficiency? Hazardous air pollutants regulation, energy use, and the synergistic effect on industrial enterprises' carbon emission," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    2. Dong, Zhaoyingzi & Xia, Chuyu & Fang, Kai & Zhang, Weiwen, 2022. "Effect of the carbon emissions trading policy on the co-benefits of carbon emissions reduction and air pollution control," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    3. Zhang, Ming & Zhao, Yingxue, 2023. "Does environmental regulation spur innovation? Quasi-natural experiment in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    4. Li, Kai & Qi, Shouzhou & Shi, Xunpeng, 2023. "Environmental policies and low-carbon industrial upgrading: Heterogenous effects among policies, sectors, and technologies in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    5. Xu, Yuan & Wu, Yanrui & Shi, Yongli, 2021. "Emission reduction and foreign direct investment nexus in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    6. Ai, Hongshan & Tan, Xiaoqing & Zhou, Shengwen & Zhou, Yuhan & Xing, Hongye, 2023. "The impact of environmental regulation on carbon emissions: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1067-1079.
    7. Dong, Zhaoyingzi & Liu, Haijing & Zhang, Weiwen, 2024. "The effect of information disclosure on low-carbon innovation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    8. 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).
    9. Song, Wenfei & Han, Xianfeng, 2022. "The bilateral effects of foreign direct investment on green innovation efficiency: Evidence from 30 Chinese provinces," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    10. Yi Li & Lili Ding & Yongliang Yang, 2020. "Can the Introduction of an Environmental Target Assessment Policy Improve the TFP of Textile Enterprises? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on the Huai River Basin in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-19, February.
    11. Liu, Xiaoguang & Ji, Qiang & Yu, Jian, 2021. "Sustainable development goals and firm carbon emissions: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    12. 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.
    13. Gao, Yanyan & Zheng, Jianghuai, 2024. "The opposite innovation impacts of air and water pollution regulations: Evidence from the total emissions control policy in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    14. 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).
    15. Yan, Zheming & Zhou, Zicheng & Du, Kerui, 2023. "How does environmental regulatory stringency affect energy consumption? Evidence from Chinese firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    16. Xu, Jian & Zheng, Jiaxing, 2022. "Mass media, air quality, and management turnover," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    17. Chen, Ying, 2023. "Environmental regulation, local labor market, and skill heterogeneity," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    18. Antoine Dechezleprêtre & Misato Sato, 2017. "The Impacts of Environmental Regulations on Competitiveness," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 11(2), pages 183-206.
    19. Zhang, Bingbing & Yu, Lan & Sun, Chuanwang, 2022. "How does urban environmental legislation guide the green transition of enterprises? Based on the perspective of enterprises' green total factor productivity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    20. Yan, Zheming & Yu, Ying & Du, Kerui & Zhang, Ning, 2024. "How does environmental regulation promote green technology innovation? Evidence from China's total emission control policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(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:rensus:v:156:y:2022:i:c:s1364032121012314. 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/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    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.