IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i7p3251-d1628770.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Can China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Pilot Improve New Quality Productivity?

Author

Listed:
  • Min Lu

    (School of Statistics and Data Science, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing 211815, China)

  • Xuehan Zhou

    (School of Statistics and Data Science, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing 211815, China)

  • Xiaosa Ren

    (School of Statistics and Data Science, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing 211815, China)

  • Xing Wang

    (Department of Economics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK)

Abstract

Our research investigated whether the carbon emissions trading pilot policy (CET), while mitigating environmental pollution externalities and fostering green economic and social transformation, can also enhance China’s new quality productivity (NQP) as a key driver of economic growth. This study addresses a research gap by examining the CET from an integrated perspective of economic development and environmental protection. We have developed an NQP evaluation indicator system based on three productivity factors, revealing that the CET can elevate NQP levels in pilot provinces through the advancement of green finance (GF) and industrial structure upgrading (ISU). Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between the CET and NQP from the perspective of low-carbon energy consumption (LCEC), demonstrating that the level of LCEC can reinforce the CET’s positive impact on NQP and moderate the path before and after the mediating process. Our findings offer valuable insights into leveraging market-based environmental regulation tools to support NQP development, thereby facilitating its cultivation and enhancement.

Suggested Citation

  • Min Lu & Xuehan Zhou & Xiaosa Ren & Xing Wang, 2025. "How Can China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Pilot Improve New Quality Productivity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-32, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:3251-:d:1628770
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3251/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3251/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liu, Guanchun & Zhang, Gaorong & Song, Malin & Fu, Shun, 2025. "Carbon emissions trading and corporate energy efficiency: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    2. Lee, Chien-Chiang & He, Zhi-Wen & Yuan, Zihao, 2023. "A pathway to sustainable development: Digitization and green productivity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    3. Xin Dai & Jie Tang & Qin Huang & Wenyue Cui, 2023. "Knowledge Spillover and Spatial Innovation Growth: Evidence from China’s Yangtze River Delta," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-26, September.
    4. Jacobson, Louis S & LaLonde, Robert J & Sullivan, Daniel G, 1993. "Earnings Losses of Displaced Workers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(4), pages 685-709, September.
    5. A. Denny Ellerman & Claudio Marcantonini & Aleksandar Zaklan, 2016. "The European Union Emissions Trading System: Ten Years and Counting," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 10(1), pages 89-107.
    6. Hübler, Michael & Voigt, Sebastian & Löschel, Andreas, 2014. "Designing an emissions trading scheme for China—An up-to-date climate policy assessment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 57-72.
    7. Li Lin & Tianyu Gu & Yi Shi, 2024. "The Influence of New Quality Productive Forces on High-Quality Agricultural Development in China: Mechanisms and Empirical Testing," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-19, June.
    8. Song, Malin & Peng, Licheng & Shang, Yuping & Zhao, Xin, 2022. "Green technology progress and total factor productivity of resource-based enterprises: A perspective of technical compensation of environmental regulation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    9. Yuanyuan Kou & Huiying Chen & Kai Liu & Huajie Xu, 2023. "Multinational Corporations and Technological Innovation Development of China’s High-Tech Industries: A Heterogeneity-Based Threshold Effect Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-19, April.
    10. 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.
    11. Li, Hongmei & Xu, Ruizhe, 2023. "How does digital finance affect the efficiency of urban green economies? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PD).
    12. Xiangnan Zhai & Xue Yang & Darko B. Vukovic & Daria A. Dinets & Qiang Liu, 2025. "Carbon Emissions Trading Policy and Regional Energy Efficiency: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-20, February.
    13. Hu, Yucai & Ren, Shenggang & Wang, Yangjie & Chen, Xiaohong, 2020. "Can carbon emission trading scheme achieve energy conservation and emission reduction? Evidence from the industrial sector in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    14. Changhua Shao & Han Dong & Yuan Gao, 2024. "New Quality Productivity and Industrial Structure in China: The Moderating Effect of Environmental Regulation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-27, August.
    15. Ouyang, Haiqin & Guan, Chao & Yu, Bo, 2023. "Green finance, natural resources, and economic growth: Theory analysis and empirical research," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    16. Liu, Jing-Yue & Zhang, Yue-Jun, 2021. "Has carbon emissions trading system promoted non-fossil energy development in China?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    17. Ren, Yi-Shuai & Huynh, Toan Luu Duc & Liu, Pei-Zhi & Narayan, Seema, 2024. "Is the carbon emission trading scheme conducive to promoting energy transition? Some empirical evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    18. Xia, Lei & Han, Qingjiang & Yu, Shui, 2024. "Industrial intelligence and industrial structure change: Effect and mechanism," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 1494-1506.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Lin, Boqiang & Liu, Yida, 2024. "Global carbon neutrality and China's contribution: The impact of international carbon market policies on China's photovoltaic product exports," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    2. Ying Zhang & Yingli Huang, 2023. "Killing Two Birds with One Stone or Missing One of Them? The Synergistic Governance Effect of China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme on Pollution Control and Carbon Emission Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    3. Cheng, Zhen & Ding, Chante Jian & Zhao, Kunqian, 2025. "Energy use rights trading and carbon emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    4. Nan Feng & Mingyue Yan & Mingtao Yan, 2024. "Spatiotemporal Evolution and Influencing Factors of New-Quality Productivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-20, December.
    5. Du, Mengfan & Zhang, Yue-Jun, 2023. "The impact of producer services agglomeration on green economic development: Evidence from 278 Chinese cities," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    6. Hou, Guanchong & Shi, Guifen, 2024. "Green finance and innovative cities: Dual-pilot policies and collaborative green innovation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    7. He, Ling-Yun & Chen, Kun-Xian, 2023. "Does China's regional emission trading scheme lead to carbon leakage? Evidence from conglomerates," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    8. Xuejun Chen & Yue Wu, 2025. "A Study on the Mechanisms of New Quality Productive Forces Enabling the Upgrading of the Modern Tourism System: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-21, March.
    9. Lingyu Li & Zhichao Liu, 2024. "Sustainable Evolution of China’s Provincial New Quality Productivity Based on Three Dimensions of Multi-Period Development and Combination Weights," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-17, December.
    10. Ziyu Qin & Jia Wang & Yunhan Wang & Lihao Liu & Junye Zhou & Xinyu Fu, 2025. "Assessing the Impacts of New Quality Productivity on Sustainable Agriculture: Structural Mechanisms and Optimization Strategies—Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-47, March.
    11. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Zhong, Qiming & Wen, Huwei & Song, Qinghua, 2023. "Blessing or curse: How does sustainable development policy affect total factor productivity of energy-intensive enterprises?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    12. Feng, Yidai & Yuan, Huaxi & Liu, Yaobin & Zhang, Shaohui, 2023. "Does new-type urbanization policy promote green energy efficiency? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    13. Changfei Nie & Yujie Yao & Yuan Feng, 2024. "The impact of green finance on economic growth: Evidence from the green finance reform and innovation pilot zone," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(4), pages 709-736, September.
    14. Yang, Su & Shen, Jie & Deng, Xiaopeng & Lu, Kun & Liu, Zeru & Cheng, Baoquan, 2024. "Digital economy revolutionizing green total factor productivity in construction industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    15. Hu, Yucai & Li, Ranran & Du, Lei & Ren, Shenggang & Chevallier, Julien, 2022. "Could SO2 and CO2 emissions trading schemes achieve co-benefits of emissions reduction?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    16. Zhao, Tong, 2023. "The impact of financial inclusion and natural resource endowment on China's carbon emissions in the post-covid-19 period," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    17. Xiaoxu Guo & Ruibing Kou & Xiang He, 2024. "Towards Carbon Neutrality: Machine Learning Analysis of Vehicle Emissions in Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-18, November.
    18. Zhang, Hua & Xu, Tiantian & Feng, Chao, 2022. "Does public participation promote environmental efficiency? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment of environmental information disclosure in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    19. Huang, Xuhui & Zhou, Tao & Zhang, Ning, 2025. "How does the carbon market influence the marginal abatement cost? Evidence from China's coal-fired power plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 378(PA).
    20. Ren, Shenggang & Yang, Xuanyu & Hu, Yucai & Chevallier, Julien, 2022. "Emission trading, induced innovation and firm performance," 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:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:3251-:d:1628770. 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.