IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/enejou/v44y2023i2p79-102.html

Impact of Low-carbon City Construction on Financing, Investment, and Total Factor Productivity of Energy-intensive Enterprises

Author

Listed:
  • Wen Huwei
  • Chen Shuai
  • Lee Chien-Chiang

Abstract

Faced with the global climate change, as a major greenhouse gas emitter, China launched a pilot policy on low-carbon city construction since 2010. Few studies have discussed how climate policies affect the investment and financing behavior of energy-intensive enterprises. Based on the micro data of A-share listed enterprises in China’s energy-intensive industries, this study aims to assess the productivity effect of low-carbon city pilot (LCCP) policy and investigates the mechanism of financing and investment using the difference-in-difference method. Empirical results provide evidence that the LCCP policy has significantly improved the total factor productivity of energy-intensive enterprises. In terms of the mechanisms, the LCCP policy has increased the supply of bank credit to enterprises and encouraged their long-term investment in fixed assets and R&D activities. The productivity effect of the LCCP policy is greater for state-owned enterprises and enterprises with political connection. Urban human capital, industrial agglomeration, and resource endowment contribute to the productivity effect of LCCP policy for enterprises in the energy-intensive industries. The findings show that the LCCP is an effective comprehensive policy to promote the high-quality development of energy-intensive industries, and the findings also provide enlightenment for enacting better climate transition policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Wen Huwei & Chen Shuai & Lee Chien-Chiang, 2023. "Impact of Low-carbon City Construction on Financing, Investment, and Total Factor Productivity of Energy-intensive Enterprises," The Energy Journal, , vol. 44(2), pages 79-102, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:44:y:2023:i:2:p:79-102
    DOI: 10.5547/01956574.44.2.hwen
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.5547/01956574.44.2.hwen
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5547/01956574.44.2.hwen?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee, Chi-Chuan & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "How does green finance affect green total factor productivity? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    2. Liu, Min & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2021. "Capturing the dynamics of the China crude oil futures: Markov switching, co-movement, and volatility forecasting," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    3. Yu, Yantuan & Zhang, Ning, 2021. "Low-carbon city pilot and carbon emission efficiency: Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    4. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Yuan, Zihao & Wang, Qiaoru, 2022. "How does information and communication technology affect energy security? International evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    5. Shen, Jim Huangnan & Long, Zhiming & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Zhang, Jun, 2022. "Comparative advantage, endowment structure, and trade imbalances," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 365-375.
    6. You, Wanhai & Zhang, Yue & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "The dynamic impact of economic growth and economic complexity on CO2 emissions: An advanced panel data estimation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 112-128.
    7. Amil Petrin & Brian P. Poi & James Levinsohn, 2004. "Production function estimation in Stata using inputs to control for unobservables," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 4(2), pages 113-123, June.
    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. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Ni, Wenjie & Zhang, Xiaoming, 2023. "FinTech development and commercial bank efficiency in China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    2. Nie, Cong & Zhang, Chen, 2025. "Low-carbon production and corporate biodiversity concern: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Jiang, Zeru & Yuan, Chunlai & Xu, Jingru, 2024. "The impact of digital government on energy sustainability: Empirical evidence from prefecture-level cities in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    4. Yang, Zhijiu & Ding, Hai, 2024. "Turning a blind eye: How local government fiscal distress affects the entry of energy-intensive enterprises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wen, Huwei, 2025. "Global value chain embedding and enterprise energy efficiency: A worldwide firm-level analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    8. Cao, Hongjian & Zhao, Yu & Yuan, Li & Li, Ke, 2024. "Does legislation promote technological innovation in renewable energy enterprises? Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    9. Wenzhen Mai, 2025. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Investigating the Connections Between Short-Selling Deregulation and Green Total Factor Productivity: Empirical Insights from China," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(1), pages 2425-2450, March.
    10. Jules Pretty & Dennis Garrity & Hemant Kumar Badola & Mike Barrett & Cornelia Butler Flora & Catherine Cameron & Natasha Grist & Leanne Hepburn & Heather Hilburn & Amy Isham & Erik Jacobi & Rattan Lal, 2025. "How the Concept of “Regenerative Good Growth” Could Help Increase Public and Policy Engagement and Speed Transitions to Net Zero and Nature Recovery," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-29, January.
    11. Zhou, Fengxiu & Chen, Ming & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2025. "Impact of digital climate governance on carbon neutrality in China: A framework for carbon technological progress," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    12. Huang, Xinpeng & Wen, Huwei, 2025. "The constraining dynamics of political instability on renewable energy development: International evidence," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    13. Zhang, Zixuan & Ge, Zhenyu & Liu, Shuhan, 2024. "The low carbon transformation of cities and corporate investment efficiency: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    14. Di, Kaisheng & Chen, Weidong & Shi, Qiumei & Cai, Quanling & Liu, Sichen, 2024. "Analysing the impact of coupled domestic demand dynamics of green and low-carbon consumption in the market based on SEM-ANN," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    15. Chien-Chiang Lee & Zhi-Wen He & Huwei Wen, 2024. "The impact of digitalization on green economic efficiency: Empirical evidence from city-level panel data in China," Energy & Environment, , vol. 35(1), pages 23-46, February.
    16. Emad Kazemzadeh & Narges Salehnia & Yang Yu & Magdalena Radulescu, 2025. "Drivers of Green Growth: Roles of Innovation and Fragility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-32, January.
    17. Dandan Wang & Jian Guan & Hongyan Liu & Hanwen Zhang & Qi Wang & Lijian Zhang & Jingzheng Dong, 2025. "Low-Carbon Control of Integrated Energy by Combining Cuckoo Search Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-21, April.
    18. 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.
    19. Shumei Xiao & Jun Sheng & Guangtao Zhang, 2025. "Rising Tides of Knowledge: Exploring China’s Higher Education Landscape and Human Capital Growth," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(1), pages 4392-4421, March.
    20. Yaning Song & Chong Zhuo & Yuyang Deng, 2025. "Does the Low-Carbon City Pilot Promote Household Energy Transition in China?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-25, March.

    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. Liu, Min & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Is gold a long-run hedge, diversifier, or safe haven for oil? Empirical evidence based on DCC-MIDAS," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    2. Lv, Chengchao & Song, Jie & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Can digital finance narrow the regional disparities in the quality of economic growth? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 502-521.
    3. Wen, Huwei & Liang, Weitao & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Urban broadband infrastructure and green total-factor energy efficiency in China," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Jafar Hussain & Chien‐Chiang Lee, 2022. "A green path towards sustainable development: Optimal behavior of the duopoly game model with carbon neutrality instruments," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1523-1541, December.
    5. 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).
    6. Xu, Jin-Jin & Wang, Hai-Jie & Tang, Kai, 2022. "The sustainability of industrial structure on green eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 775-788.
    7. Lee, Chien-Chiang & He, Zhi-Wen, 2022. "Natural resources and green economic growth: An analysis based on heterogeneous growth paths," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    8. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Yuan, Zihao & Ho, Shan-Ju, 2022. "How does export diversification affect income inequality? International evidence," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 410-421.
    9. Lee, Chien-Chiang & He, Zhi-Wen & Xiao, Fu, 2022. "How does information and communication technology affect renewable energy technology innovation? International evidence," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 546-557.
    10. Qingmin Hao & Jim Huangnan Shen & Chien-Chiang Lee, 2023. "Risk contagion of bank-firm loan network: evidence from China," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 13(2), pages 341-361, June.
    11. Zhu, Bangzhu & Wan, Chunzhuo & Wang, Ping, 2022. "Interval forecasting of carbon price: A novel multiscale ensemble forecasting approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    12. Maosheng Ye & Jim H. Shen & Eric Golson & Chien‐Chiang Lee & Yuting Li, 2022. "The impact of Sino–US trade friction on the performance of China's textile and apparel industry," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 151-166, August.
    13. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Tang, Manting & Lee, Chi-Chuan, 2023. "Reaping digital dividends: Digital inclusive finance and high-quality development of enterprises in China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2).
    14. Wen, Huwei & Zhong, Qiming & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Digitalization, competition strategy and corporate innovation: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing listed companies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    15. Zhou, Fengxiu & Wen, Huwei & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Broadband infrastructure and export growth," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5).
    16. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Fuhao, 2022. "How does digital inclusive finance affect carbon intensity?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 174-190.
    17. Chen, Yang & Cheng, Liang & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "How does the use of industrial robots affect the ecological footprint? International evidence," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    18. Chien-Chiang Lee & Zhi-Wen He & Huwei Wen, 2024. "The impact of digitalization on green economic efficiency: Empirical evidence from city-level panel data in China," Energy & Environment, , vol. 35(1), pages 23-46, February.
    19. Xiao Jie Liu & Haiyue Liu & Shi Yi Liu & Jim Huangnan Shen & Chien‐Chiang Lee, 2022. "Profit sharing, industrial upgrading, and global supply chains: Theory and evidence," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 2454-2493, November.
    20. Ning Li & Ruiling Li & Shangshang Yu, 2024. "Managerial Myopia and Enterprise Green Total Factor Productivity: Perspectives on the Supervisory Effect and Incentive Effect," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-21, August.

    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:sae:enejou:v:44:y:2023:i:2:p:79-102. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.