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Effects of Ownership Reform on Energy and Emission Intensity of Chinese Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Yunguo Lu
  • Zhe Jiang
  • Lin Zhang

Abstract

This study examines the effect of privatization on the pollution emission intensity of companies by exploiting the quasi-natural experimental ownership reforms of state-owned enterprises in China. By matching corporate pollution emissions with firm-level microdata from 1998 to 2007, we employ a difference-in-differences strategy to identify the environmental effects of privatization. Our findings reveal a significant increase in corporate SO2 intensity and smoke and dust intensity by 12.5 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively. The magnitude of the effect varies significantly across regions and differs by the nature of ownership. We observe significant changes in production technologies and environmental mitigation strategies in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) after privatization. Privatized SOEs undergo major changes in their corporate energy input structures and tend to make a significant strategic shift in their approach to pollution mitigation, investing less in environmental innovation in production and focusing more on end-of-pipe treatments. JEL Classification: D22, L33, L51, Q53

Suggested Citation

  • Yunguo Lu & Zhe Jiang & Lin Zhang, 2025. "Effects of Ownership Reform on Energy and Emission Intensity of Chinese Firms," The Energy Journal, , vol. 46(4), pages 87-116, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:46:y:2025:i:4:p:87-116
    DOI: 10.1177/01956574251322140
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Esther Duflo & Michael Greenstone & Nicholas Ryan, 2013. "Truth-telling by Third-party Auditors and the Response of Polluting Firms: Experimental Evidence from India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 128(4), pages 1499-1545.
    4. Megginson, William L & Nash, Robert C & van Randenborgh, Matthias, 1994. "The Financial and Operating Performance of Newly Privatized Firms: An International Empirical Analysis," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 49(2), pages 403-452, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yunguo Lu & Jing Liang & Xiaojun Yu & Lin Zhang, 2026. "Environmental regulation and the proliferation of zombie firms: evidence from China," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 69(1), pages 1-36, December.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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