IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i23p16241-d1286336.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does Low-Carbon City Construction Promote Integrated Economic, Energy, and Environmental Development? An Empirical Study Based on the Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy in China

Author

Listed:
  • Yingshan Sun

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Rui Zhang

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Xiaolu Du

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Kang Zhao

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Xiaotong Qie

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Xiaoyi Zhang

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract

Low-carbon urban transformation is considered the path to green economic growth in dual-carbon contexts. The low-carbon city pilot policy (LCCP) in China has vast potential to enhance the integrated development of the economy, energy, and environment (3Es). Taking 240 cities in China from 2005 to 2019 as research samples, this paper investigated the impact of LCCP on the integrated development level of the 3Es using the progressive difference-in-differences model and analyzed the mechanisms of influence. In addition, the implementation effects on different cities were analyzed using the triple difference model. The findings show that implementing the LCCP policy significantly improves the 3Es integrated development level in the sample cities, and a variety of robustness tests were used to validate this conclusion. The influence mechanism analysis shows that the primary avenues for pilot programs to contribute and successfully advance the enhancement of the low-carbon city 3Es integrated development level are technological innovation and financial development. Moreover, the heterogeneity analysis of resource endowment and geographical location shows that LCCP is beneficial to the 3Es integrated development in non-resource-based cities and eastern cities. Consequently, policy recommendations include the continuation of low-carbon pilot city expansion, joint promotion of regional 3Es integration, improving the level of technological innovation and financial development, and tailoring of policy to local circumstances. This study provides theoretical support for the evaluation of China’s LCCP and, to a certain extent, proves that the measures taken by China in the process of exploring green economic growth and realizing the dual-carbon goal are correct.

Suggested Citation

  • Yingshan Sun & Rui Zhang & Xiaolu Du & Kang Zhao & Xiaotong Qie & Xiaoyi Zhang, 2023. "Does Low-Carbon City Construction Promote Integrated Economic, Energy, and Environmental Development? An Empirical Study Based on the Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-23, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:23:p:16241-:d:1286336
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16241/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16241/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Feng, Yi & Peng, Diyun, 2022. "A green path towards sustainable development: The impact of low-carbon city pilot on energy transition," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    2. Qu, Chenyao & Shao, Jun & Shi, Zhenkai, 2020. "Does financial agglomeration promote the increase of energy efficiency in China?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    3. Yang, Jun & Hao, Yun & Feng, Chao, 2021. "A race between economic growth and carbon emissions: What play important roles towards global low-carbon development?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    4. Hussain, Jafar & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Chen, Yongxiu, 2022. "Optimal green technology investment and emission reduction in emissions generating companies under the support of green bond and subsidy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    5. Samant, Shantala & Thakur-Wernz, Pooja & Hatfield, Donald E., 2020. "Does the focus of renewable energy policy impact the nature of innovation? Evidence from emerging economies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    6. Tiwari, Aviral Kumar & Abakah, Emmanuel Joel Aikins & Adewuyi, Adeolu O. & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Quantile risk spillovers between energy and agricultural commodity markets: Evidence from pre and during COVID-19 outbreak," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    7. Yu, Yantuan & Zhang, Ning, 2021. "Low-carbon city pilot and carbon emission efficiency: Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    8. Li, Pei & Lu, Yi & Wang, Jin, 2016. "Does flattening government improve economic performance? Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 18-37.
    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. Zayed F. Zeadat, 2025. "Building a Sustainable Future: Tackling Carbon Challenges in Jordan’s Multi-Family Apartments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-17, June.

    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. Zhu, Chen & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "The effects of low-carbon pilot policy on technological innovation: Evidence from prefecture-level data in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    2. Wang, Zhen & Chu, Erming, 2024. "The path toward urban carbon neutrality: How does the low-carbon city pilot policy stimulate low-carbon technology?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 954-975.
    3. Ren, Yi-Shuai & Liu, Pei-Zhi & Klein, Tony & Sheenan, Lisa, 2024. "Does the low-carbon pilot cities policy make a difference to the carbon intensity reduction?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 227-239.
    4. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Feng, Yi & Peng, Diyun, 2022. "A green path towards sustainable development: The impact of low-carbon city pilot on energy transition," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    5. Gao, Xing & Lai, Xinjie & Tang, Xuan & Li, Yue, 2024. "Does environmental regulation affect corporate environmental awareness? A quasi-natural experiment based on low-carbon city pilot policy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1164-1184.
    6. 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.
    7. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Fuhao & Lou, Runchi & Wang, Keying, 2023. "How does green finance drive the decarbonization of the economy? Empirical evidence from China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 671-684.
    8. Wei, Chuanhui & Zhang, Yongji & Lan, Minghui & Su, Zhi & Du, Heran & Wang, Ke, 2024. "How could we benefit from a low-carbon economy? Evidence from Chinese regional labor markets," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 523-537.
    9. Zhu, Chen & Jin, Zhuo & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "The impact of informal care from children to their elderly parents on self-employment? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    10. Liu, Min & Guo, Tongji & Ping, Weiying & Luo, Liangqing, 2023. "Sustainability and stability: Will ESG investment reduce the return and volatility spillover effects across the Chinese financial market?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    11. Botao Jiang & Zhisong He & Wei Xue & Cheng Yang & Hanbo Zhu & Yifei Hua & Bin Lu, 2022. "China’s Low-Carbon Cities Pilot Promotes Sustainable Carbon Emission Reduction: Evidence from Quasi-Natural Experiments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, July.
    12. Yi Feng & Diyun Peng & Yafei Li & Shuai Liu, 2024. "Can regional integration reduce carbon intensity? Evidence from city cluster in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 5249-5274, February.
    13. Tongyue Zhang & Mengyang Hou & Liqi Chu & Lili Wang, 2022. "Can the Establishment of National Key Ecological Function Areas Enhance Vegetation Carbon Sink? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-21, September.
    14. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Lou, Runchi & Wang, Fuhao, 2023. "Digital financial inclusion and poverty alleviation: Evidence from the sustainable development of China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 418-434.
    15. Zhang, Hua & Lai, Jie & Kang, Chenyi, 2024. "Green signalling under environmental pressure: Does local government environmental regulatory pressure promote corporate environmental information disclosure?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 813-844.
    16. Ma, Dan & Tang, Jiaqi & Jiang, Xuemei, 2023. "Effects of digital global value chain participation on CO2 emissions embodied in digital exports: New evidence from PSTR approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    17. Xianghua Yue & Shikuan Zhao & Xin Ding & Long Xin, 2022. "How the Pilot Low-Carbon City Policy Promotes Urban Green Innovation: Based on Temporal-Spatial Dual Perspectives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    18. Qingyang Wu & Zhen Sun & Linhan Jiang & Lei Jiang, 2024. "“Bottom-up” abatement on climate from the “top-down” design: lessons learned from China’s low-carbon city pilot policy," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 66(3), pages 1223-1257, March.
    19. Liu, Rongyan & He, Lingyun & Xia, Yufei & Fu, Yating & Chen, Ling, 2023. "Research on the time-varying effects among green finance markets in China: A fresh evidence from multi-frequency scale perspective," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    20. Lee, Chi-Chuan & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2023. "International spillovers of U.S. monetary uncertainty and equity market volatility to China’s stock markets," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:23:p:16241-:d:1286336. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.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.