Synergy of environmental information disclosure in China: Effects on carbon reduction and quality improvement

This research takes the pollution information transparency index as a quasi-natural experiment, and empirically tests the impacts of the environmental information disclosure（EID） policy on carbon intensity and carbon productivity at the city level by using the difference-in-differences(DID) model and its derivative models, using the pilot policy of urban pollution source regulatory information disclosure. The findings are as follows: Firstly, EID has a prominent inhibition effect on carbon intensity and a significant improvement effect on carbon productivity, which is still robust under multiple scenarios. Secondly, considering the possible differential effects of EID on carbon intensity and carbon productivity between the pilot and non-pilot cities, the spatial double-difference approach is constructed to further analyze the local effect and spillover effect. The result indicates that EID has a direct inhibition effect on carbon intensity in local pilot cities and a spatial negative spillover effect on it in non-pilot cities. Thirdly, heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the effect of EID is more significant in the eastern and central cities, large and medium cities, and non-resource cities. Thus, this paper puts forward the policy recommendations including gradually increasing the number and improving the content of pilot cities to enhance the spatial spillover effect, building a cross-level environmental collaborative governance mechanism to achieve diverse participation, leadership and demonstration, encouraging positive interaction of urban environmental governance at different levels, and making further classification guidance and policies to promote carbon reduction and quality enhancement.