Mega sporting event and urban low-carbon transitions: evidence from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian games

In the face of the challenges posed by global climate change, sustainable development has emerged as a crucial criterion to assess the success of hosting mega sporting events (MSEs). This study uses prefecture-level data from China and applies a synthetic control method (SCM) along with a difference-in-differences (DID) approach to empirically explore the influence and mechanisms of preparation for the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games (HAG) on the carbon emission intensity (CEI) of host cities. Findings show that, first, HAG preparation significantly reduces the CEI of the host city, Hangzhou. However, the carbon emission reduction effect of HAG preparation varies across different co-host cities. Second, the mechanism exploration results indicate that HAG preparation facilitates urban low-carbon transitions through three pathways: increasing environmental regulation intensity, improving green technology innovation, and enhancing foreign direct investment. Thus, this study suggests that host countries or cities should advocate the concept of green and low-carbon games during MSE preparation to promote sustainable urban development.