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Environmentally friendly technologies transfers through trade flows from Japan to China - An approach by bilateral trade in environmental goods

Author

Listed:
  • Pauline Lacour

    (CREG - Centre de recherche en économie de Grenoble - UPMF - Université Pierre Mendès France - Grenoble 2)

  • Catherine Figuière

    (CREG - Centre de recherche en économie de Grenoble - UPMF - Université Pierre Mendès France - Grenoble 2)

Abstract

The transfers of green technologies are considered as an alternative to take restrictive commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for emerging and developing countries. This dynamic of technology transfer can be partially apprehended by the study of trade flows, an important channel of transfer. Thus, a country inserted in the international trade would acquire technologies that reduce the environmental impact of its industrialization process. However, the quantification of such transfers is hampered by a series of obstacles due to the lack of database and methodology. The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach to quantify environmentally friendly technologies transfers, focusing on the case of China. This economy is highly integrated into the international trade and is now the first global greenhouse gas emitter. Transfers can be quantified by Chinese imports of environmental goods from Japan - its largest trading partner. This contribution deals with environmentally-friendly technology transfers carried by trade flows from Japan to China. To put into light this dynamic, we firstly focus on the positive relationship between trade and the quality of the environment. Secondly, we conduct an empirical analysis in two parts. On one hand, the study of environmental goods exchange between China and Japan enables us to identify some technology transfer trends. On the other hand, the determination of a correlation between changes in the level of emissions and imports of environmental goods may confirm the concept of green technology transfer from Japan to China.

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  • Pauline Lacour & Catherine Figuière, 2011. "Environmentally friendly technologies transfers through trade flows from Japan to China - An approach by bilateral trade in environmental goods," Post-Print halshs-00628832, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00628832
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00628832
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    Keywords

    commerce international; transfert de technologie; gaz; effet de serre; technologie verte; Japon; Chine;
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