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Mandatory Targets and Environmental Performance: An Analysis Based on Regression Discontinuity Design

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  • Xiao Tang

    (School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Zhengwen Liu

    (School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Hongtao Yi

    (John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

Abstract

It is a critical question for environmental governance to examine whether the administrative award and punishment measures are effective in promoting environmental governance performance. Choosing the implementation of a mandatory target system (MTS) as the subject, this paper employs a fixed-effect panel data model and regression discontinuity design to test whether the MTS has improved the environmental governance performance of local governments in China. The results of this research demonstrate that the MTS has a positive effect on environmental performance, however the regression discontinuity design illustrates that the reward and punishment measures in the MTS have no significant effects on the provincial environmental performance. The results of this research provide a reasonable explanation to the existing gaps among the studies on the effectiveness of the MTS. This study has profound policy implications for the design and implementation of the environmental governance system in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiao Tang & Zhengwen Liu & Hongtao Yi, 2016. "Mandatory Targets and Environmental Performance: An Analysis Based on Regression Discontinuity Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:9:p:931-:d:78115
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    3. Pan Zhang & Jiannan Wu, 2018. "Performance-Based or Politic-Related Decomposition of Environmental Targets: A Multilevel Analysis in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Chen Huang & Tao Chen & Hongtao Yi & Xiaolin Xu & Shiying Chen & Wenna Chen, 2017. "Collaborative Environmental Governance, Inter-Agency Cooperation and Local Water Sustainability in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Hsieh, Chu-Chien & Yen, Liang-Kung, 2023. "Examining the cross-sector impact of NGOs' roles on forest-certification policy: An empirical study in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    6. Ruxin Wu & Piao Hu, 2019. "Does the “Miracle Drug” of Environmental Governance Really Improve Air Quality? Evidence from China’s System of Central Environmental Protection Inspections," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-20, March.

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