Resource Endowments Research Articles

Public Concern of Fishing and Conservation Under the ‘Ten‐Year Fishing Ban’ Policy: Implications to Action Planning for Riverine Cetaceans

ABSTRACTIllegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the major anthropogenic impacts threatening aquatic ecosystem functioning. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR), effective mitigation measures for IUU fishing are still absent, primarily due to gaps in prioritizing conservation actions and limited enforcement capabilities. In the present study, keywords associated with public concern, resource endowments and conservation efforts on online platforms were searched and analysed using the entropy‐weighting method to identify major areas in the MLYR requiring immediate mitigation measures against IUU fishing. Key factors associated with the variation in public concern in these major areas were examined to discuss the feasibility of guiding actions against IUU fishing. From 2011 to 2023, public concern on IUU fishing were increasing, though the trend for recreational angling was not statistically significant. Following the implementation of the ‘Ten‐Year Fishing Ban’ policy in Yangtze River, public concern on IUU fishing significantly increased. Changes in public concern were correlated with domestic human population, GDP, water area and the number of fishers. The results of entropy‐weighting analysis highlighted the catchments of Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake as the major areas for reinforcing IUU fishing mitigation. In Poyang Lake, the areas requiring reinforced patrols and enforcement against IUU fishing include habitats around the river mouth of the Ganjiang River and central‐eastern part of the lake during the flood season and the southern and eastern tributaries of the lake during the dry season. We recommend advancing the application of web‐based data in biodiversity conservation and encouraging policy interventions to engage anglers as advocates for aquatic conservation, fostering a sound patrol network through social engagement.

Revealing the process and mechanism of non-grain production of cropland in rapidly urbanized Deqing County of China.

Non-grain production of cropland (NGPCL) is a common consequence of rapid urbanization, but excessive NGPCL threatens food security and sustainable cropland use. However, the evolutionary processes and mechanisms of different NGPCL types remain largely unknown, compromising the scientific basis for NGPCL management. Thus, taking rapidly urbanized Deqing as the study area, this research constructed an NGPCL theoretical framework from the perspective of agricultural location, classified NGPCL types using Landsat images, random forest algorithm and Google Earth Engine, and revealed their spatiotemporal changes and different influencing factors through the Multinomial Logit Regression model, and provided targeted zoning and categorized policy suggestions. Our constructed theoretical framework modeled NGPCL by the complex interactions among geographical location, natural conditions, socioeconomic levels, and policy forces. From 2000 to 2022, NGPCL in Deqing County had a high degree and significantly increased from 68.65% to 89.19%. Pond farming and horticultural crops increased by 4046.46ha (38.0%) and 1307ha (27.1%), while tree planting slightly decreased by 54ha (-2.5%). However, these NGPCL expansions resulted in a drastic decrease of 5299ha (-65.5%) in grain crops plantation. Different NGPCL types showed varied spatial distribution characteristics and differentiated driving mechanism. Horticultural crops depended on geographical location and socioeconomic factors and were widely planted near towns and roads with high population density and economic strength. Pond farming mainly extended along the eastern flat rivers and relied on resource endowment. Tree planting was closely related to the natural condition and was concentrated in the sparsely populated mountainous areas. The NGPCL is the result of balancing various factors, and under conditions of extremely scarce cropland resources, the Chinese government needs to strike a reasonable threshold for non-grain production and propose targeted policies of zoning classification to prevent excessive NGPCL from threatening grain yield security.

Substantive change or strategic response? Digital industrial convergence policy and urban green innovation

To promote green innovation in China, the emphasis on digital industry integration is crucial. Using panel data from 283 cities (2005–2021), this study examines the impact of digital industry convergence (DIC) policy on urban green innovation (GI). The research employs the difference-in-differences (DID) model and spatial measurement techniques to analyze a quasi-natural experiment involving a “triple-network” convergence pilot. The results indicate that DIC successfully promotes urban GI. Robustness tests confirm its positive effects on GI vitality in the pilot and nearby cities, especially for substantial green innovation (GTI). Mechanism analyses show that DIC directly promotes high-quality GI and intermittently supports it through talent aggregation, entrepreneurial incentives, and industry upgrading. The enabling effect of DIC varies with economic growth, city grade, and resource endowment. The study suggests that DIC benefits medium-growth-rate, high-grade, and non-resource-based areas. The findings of this paper reveal how DIC policy affect the types of urban GI behaviors and their intrinsic mechanisms under different innovation motives, and provide empirical evidence for optimizing DIC with better incentives for GTI.

An Evaluation of the Rural Tourism Industry’s Competitiveness in the Yangtze River Economic Belt Based on the “Diamond Model”—Exampled by Wenjiang District, Huangpi District, and Jiangning District

Rural tourism has emerged as a significant option to meet the people’s growing needs for a better life in the new era. Evaluating the competitiveness of the rural tourism industry plays a crucial role in promoting rural revitalization. This article is based on a modified Porter’s diamond model. This study focuses on representative rural tourism demonstration areas in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, specifically Wenjiang District in Chengdu, Huangpi District in Wuhan, and Jiangning District in Nanjing. The Delphi method and the Analytic Hierarchy Process were employed to construct a competitiveness evaluation index system for rural tourism and to assign weights. This article evaluates and compares the competitiveness of the rural tourism industry in the case study regions. This research reveals that the competitiveness of the rural tourism industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt exhibits a pattern of strong competitiveness in the middle reaches, weaker competitiveness in the upper reaches, and moderate competitiveness in the lower reaches. These differences are significantly influenced by the region’s tourism resource endowments, tourism infrastructure, and market scale. Huangpi District demonstrates strong competitiveness in its rural tourism industry. This strength is attributed to its well-developed rural tourism supply system. Jiangning District has moderate competitiveness in its rural tourism industry. This is supported by a strong market demand and a relatively complete tourism support system. Wenjiang District shows weaker competitiveness in its rural tourism industry. This weakness results from a fragile rural tourism supply system and a sluggish market demand. This article concludes with recommendations for enhancing the competitiveness of rural tourism in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Finding explanations for weak economic complexity in resource-rich African countries: Exploring the role of natural resource endowment and institutional quality

Finding explanations for weak economic complexity in resource-rich African countries: Exploring the role of natural resource endowment and institutional quality

The economic inequality effect of environmental policies--a case from China's "authoritarian environmentalism" actions.

Command-and-control environmental policies are crucial for achieving sustainable development across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. However, these policies often neglect the impact on vulnerable populations and impoverished regions. This paper reveals the mechanisms and impacts of CAC exacerbating regional economic inequality under resource endowment differences through empirical analysis of county panel data in China from 2010 to 2021. Taking the "closure and relocation" policy of chemical enterprises along the Yangtze River as an example, the study finds that in economically developed regions, the policy realizes a win-win situation regarding environmental quality improvement and economic growth by upgrading the industrial structure. Economic growth is significantly inhibited in areas with high chemical dependence despite improving environmental quality. Residents experience increased economic pressure and cannot enjoy the benefits of environmental improvements. The study also shows that despite policies aimed at improving environmental quality, they have failed to realize the expected goals in some regions fully and have dampened regional economic activities. Through systematic empirical analysis, this study deepens the understanding of the impacts of CAC. It highlights the trade-offs and differential impacts in the implementation of testimonies. This study provides empirical references for policy design and optimization in related fields, theoretical support, and policy recommendations for global sustainable development.

The impact of carbon emissions trading on green total factor productivity based on evidence from a quasi-natural experiment

Based on a balanced panel dataset of 272 prefecture-level cities from 2000 to 2022, this paper systematically investigates the impact of the carbon emissions trading system on green total factor productivity and its underlying mechanisms from an integrated perspective of overall, dynamic, and spatial dimensions. The findings reveal that (1) the carbon emissions trading system significantly enhances regional total factor productivity, primarily by optimizing resource allocation efficiency and strengthening regional competitiveness. (2) From a dynamic perspective, the policy effect exhibited a U-shaped relationship: from 2013 to 2018, green total factor productivity was suppressed due to underdeveloped market mechanisms and the policy environment; after 2018, with market maturation and policy stabilization, the policy effects improved significantly. (3) Spatial effect analysis indicates that the emissions trading system positively influences pilot regions but generates a siphon effect on nonpilot regions, leading to regional performance divergence, although the overall impact remains positive. (4) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the policy has more pronounced effects in regions with higher carbon intensity, stricter environmental regulations, better infrastructure, and richer resource endowments, reflecting significant regional disparities in policy effectiveness. This study provides empirical evidence and theoretical insights to optimize carbon trading policies and achieve regional green development.

Toward Sustainable Development: The Impact of Green Fiscal Policy on Green Total Factor Productivity

Green fiscal policy draws worldwide attention from policymakers as a potential mechanism that contributes to sustainable development. However, although many studies have discussed the economic consequences of green fiscal policy, there is still a lack of studies that systematically quantify the productivity impacts of green fiscal policy. Therefore, to fill this gap, China’s Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Fiscal Policy Pilot (ECER) and difference-in-differences (DID) identification method were chosen to explore the impact of green fiscal policy on green total factor productivity (GTFP). We find that ECER significantly enhances urban GTFP, and it holds after a series of robustness tests. Moreover, we explore the mediating mechanisms that may explain this effect: government environmental regulation, green technology innovation, and industrial structure optimization. Further analysis shows that the positive effect of ECER is more significant when (1) government transparency is high; (2) government financial autonomy is high; (3) government digital transformation is high; (4) the city’s resource endowment is high; and (5) the city’s economic development level is high. Overall, our study provides new insights into the economic consequences of green fiscal policy.

Does the new-type urbanization policy promote green technological innovation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

ABSTRACT Assessing the impact of new-type urbanization (NTU) on green technological innovation reveals how effectively the policy fosters sustainable growth and technological advancement. This helps policymakers optimize strategies to promote eco-friendly innovation and align national urbanization efforts with broader environmental goals. Using panel data from 274 cities in China from 2009 to 2021, this study regards a NTU pilot as a quasi-natural experiment and uses the multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) method to examine the impact of the policy on green technological innovation．Its heterogeneous effects are examined from the perspective of economic development, industrial structure, resource endowment, and the foundation of green technological innovation. Based on this, industrial structure and research and development (R&D) expenditure are considered as moderating variables to analyse the impact mechanism. The findings revealed that (1) NTU policy has significantly improved the level of green technological innovation; (2) NTU policy promotes green technological innovation by optimizing industrial structure and improving R&D expenditure; and (3) in non-resource-based cities and cities with higher economic levels, advanced industrial structures, and a solid foundation for green innovation, the NTU policy has significant innovation effects.

Peak Assessment and Driving Factor Analysis of Residential Building Carbon Emissions in China’s Urban Agglomerations

Urban agglomerations, as hubs of population, economic activity, and energy consumption, significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The interconnected infrastructure, energy networks, and shared economic systems of these regions create complex emission dynamics that cannot be effectively managed through isolated city-level strategies. However, these regions also present unique opportunities for innovation, policy implementation, and resource optimization, making them crucial focal points in efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This study examines China’s three major urban agglomerations: the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. Utilizing data from 2005 to 2020 and a comprehensive evaluation model (BCPCAM), the research offers more profound insights into the socio-economic factors and collaborative mechanisms influencing emission trends, facilitating the development of targeted strategies for sustainable development and carbon neutrality. The findings indicate that (1) economic development and carbon control can progress synergistically to some extent, as economically advanced cities like Beijing and Shanghai have achieved their carbon peaks earlier; (2) natural resource endowment significantly affects urban carbon emissions, with resource-rich cities such as Tangshan and Handan, where fossil fuels dominate the energy mix, facing considerable challenges in reducing emissions; and (3) notable differences exist in the growth patterns of carbon emissions between urban and rural buildings, underscoring the need for tailored carbon reduction policies.

Subway opening enables urban green development: Evidence from difference-in-differences and double dual machine learning methods.

Urban rail transport is an important part of transport infrastructure, which is significant in empowering green-oriented urban development. However, few studies in the existing literature explore the effect of subway opening on urban green development. This paper uses Chinese data of 281 prefecture-level cities from 2008 to 2021 to explore the influence and mechanism of subway opening on urban green total factor productivity (GTFP) through the difference-in-differences (DID) and double dual machine learning (DDML) methods. The results show that subway opening can improve urban GTFP, and realize urban green and innovative development. This conclusion is supported by several robustness tests. With regard to pathways, subway opening can broaden the frontiers of production possibilities and promote technological progress by upgrading industrial structure and improving innovation capacity, thus increasing urban GTFP. Moreover, the effect of subway opening on urban GTFP is heterogeneous in city size, city location and regional resource endowment. Considering the heterogeneity difference of GTFP, it is found that subway opening has a stronger "green" effect in cities with high level of green development. Digital infrastructure and regional competition play a positive role in regulating the effect of subway opening on urban GTFP. Economic growth target has a strong constraint on the impact of urban GTFP by subway opening, while the constraint effect of the environmental target is not significant. These findings help to provide valuable empirical evidence for urban green development from a transport-related perspective.

Green and Low-Carbon Transition in Xizang Autonomous Region: Conditional Analysis and Policy Approaches — Case Study on the Construction of Chamdo Clean Energy Base

Based on a follow-up study of Xizang Autonomous Region’s ecological civilization construction and its clean energy development, this paper takes Chamdo as a case study and uses the SWOT matrix to analyze the basic conditions, challenges, and possible pathways for clean energy development. The purpose is to discuss whether Xizang can play a prominent role in the green and low-carbon transition. It demonstrates that, under the framework of nationwide planning, starting from Xizang’s resource endowments and the practical demands of sustainable development, Xizang can capitalize on external opportunities, such as policy advantages and power assistance, to build a diversified clean energy system that integrates hydropower, wind, solar, and energy storage. By strengthening the coordination between the clean energy sector and other industries, Xizang can promote both local consumption of clean energy and its transmission to other regions. This not only enables Xizang to play a prominent role in the nation’s green and low-carbon transition, but also uses clean energy as a bridge to reinforce collaborative efforts among eastern, central, and western regions in achieving dual carbon goals, while fostering common prosperity, and enhancing national unity.

How does infrastructure investment boost tourism development? Evidence from China

Despite infrastructure investment being an essential means to boost tourism development, empirical specifications are needed to examine the different effect of infrastructures on tourism. Based on the infrastructure-led development theory, this study utilizes panel data from China’s 30 provincial-level administrative units and categorizes infrastructure investment into three types: traditional, technology, and livelihood. The findings reveal that all three types of infrastructure investment contribute to tourism development. Notably, the livelihood infrastructure investment emerges as the most impactful factor, while the technology infrastructure investment demonstrates relatively minor impacts. The impact of infrastructure investments on tourism development is mediated by market integration, with positive moderating effects of tourism resource endowment. Heterogeneity analyses show that the positive impact of infrastructure investment on tourism development also varies across different regions. This study enriches the infrastructure-led growth theory and provides valuable empirical evidence to guide the effective utilization of infrastructure investment for tourism development.

Interregional Environmental Policy Coordination, Natural Resource Endowment, and Green Economic Development: A Quantitative Analysis of China’s Policy Tests

Revealing the linkage between interregional coordination and a green economy is crucial to economic resilience and high-quality development capabilities. Although local governments in China are increasingly emphasizing environmental policy coordination, academics have not fully investigated whether it can advance green economic development. This research aims to quantify interregional environmental policy coordination from the perspectives of policy actor coordination and policy tool coordination and further investigates its green development effects, particularly when considering the mediating role of natural resource endowment. The analysis is based on environmental policies and related data issued by 284 cities in China from 2003 to 2022. The results indicate that (1) interregional environmental policy coordination contributes to green economic development, in which policy actor coordination and policy tool coordination are complementary and indispensable. (2) It exhibits heterogeneity characteristics that have a stronger promoting effect in resource-rich areas, as well as spillover characteristics that gradually weaken with increasing distance. (3) Interregional environmental policy coordination promotes green economic development by reducing natural resource abundance and natural resource dependence; however, both policy actor coordination and policy tool coordination mainly play a role in lowering natural resource abundance. This study offers useful insights for policymakers seeking to maximize economic benefits while utilizing limited resources and protecting the environment.

The health effect of relaxing entry regulation for private hospitals and its nonlinear characteristics: evidence from China.

Relaxing entry regulation for private hospitals and fostering competition in the healthcare market are crucial prerequisites for addressing the diverse healthcare demands of the population and promoting the development of a Healthy China. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the health effect of relaxing entry regulation for private hospitals and to examine its nonlinear characteristics. Using panel data from 31 provinces in mainland China, this study employs a fixed effects panel data model to investigate the health effect of relaxing entry regulation for private hospitals. To examine the potential nonlinear relationship, a panel threshold model is also employed. This study also employs a dynamic panel model as the econometric method to perform regression analysis for robustness testing. The empirical findings indicate that relaxing entry regulation for private hospitals significantly improves the residents' health level. This conclusion remains robust when different explanatory variables, measurement models and modified samples are applied. The heterogeneity analysis reveals that the health benefits of private hospital market entry are more pronounced in Central-Western region, regions with high medical resource endowment, and regions with High-quality competition. Furthermore, the health effect of relaxing entry regulation for private hospitals exhibits nonlinear characteristics: it weakens as economic development level reaches a certain threshold and becomes more pronounced as educational attainment reaches a specific threshold. Based on these empirical results, Chinese provinces can be classified into three distinct types to guide the development of differentiated policies tailored to local conditions. This study provides valuable theoretical insights into promoting a fair competition mechanism in the healthcare market, enhancing the quality of private hospitals, and improving the overall health level of residents in China and other developing countries facing similar challenges.

Analysis of Vegetation Restoration Potential and Its Influencing Factors on the Loess Plateau: Based on the Potential Realization Model and Spatial Dubin Model

Improvements in vegetation coverage are driven by both resource endowment conditions and policy behaviors. To accurately reflect the vegetation restoration effect after ecological policies, this study used the potential realization model to calculate the potential realization degree of vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau and to assess the vegetation restoration effect after the Grain for Green Program from 2000 to 2020. Then, the influencing factors were explored using the spatial Dubin model. The results reveal that (1) the EVI value of the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi increased from below 0.25 at the beginning of the study to approximately 0.35 by the end, indicating that the green territory of the Loess Plateau gradually expanded to the northwest over the study period, and that the east and west of the Loess Plateau are key areas of vegetation cover for further improvement; (2) compared to the traditional EVI indicator, the potential realization degree can more accurately evaluate the vegetation restoration effect driven by ecological policies; (3) policy intensity is positively correlated with the growth rate of the vegetation restoration potential realization degree by 0.183 and significant at 1% level, making it the primary factor influencing the effect of vegetation restoration. Additionally, annual average precipitation and annual sunshine percentage have significant spatial positive contributions to the improvement of vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau. The study’s findings are expected to contribute to the development of a scientific basis for adjusting the vegetation restoration policy on the Loess Plateau and enhancing ecological restoration efforts.

Can “energy-saving and emission reduction” demonstration city pilot alleviate carbon inequality in Chinese cities?

As a pivotal element in China’s pursuit of a sustainable development model, green fiscal policies have become increasingly important amid the exacerbation of global climate conditions. Regrettably, little attention has been paid to comprehending the carbon allocation effects of the implementation of these policies. This study focuses on the “National Comprehensive Demonstration City of Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Fiscal Policy” (ESER policy) as the focal point of analysis. Using a multi-period difference-in-differences model, we assessed the implications of ESER policies on carbon inequality. This study further explored asymmetry, mechanism effects, and heterogeneity. Our empirical findings demonstrate that the ESER policy directly reduced carbon inequality by 11.4% in the demonstration cities. This conclusion withstood rigorous testing, including parallel trend assessments, robustness analyses, and endogeneity diagnostics. Moreover, the ameliorative implications of the ESER policy on carbon inequality in demonstration cities are predominantly realized by facilitating cleaner production technological innovation, end-of-pipe treatment technological innovation, industrial structure rationalization, and industrial structure optimization. Furthermore, the ameliorative implications of the ESER policy on carbon inequality were conspicuous in the upper quantiles. Finally, the urban magnitude, geographical location, resource endowment, and innovation foundation of a demonstration city exert diverse influences on policy implementation. These empirical results provide valuable guidance for the Chinese government in formulating climate policies with a focus on carbon equity considerations.

Competitiveness of Indonesia’s nutmeg in global market

Abstract Nutmeg has been one of the oldest domestically and globally traded spices. This study aims to explore its competitiveness in the global market and examine factors increasing this competitiveness to provide potential policy recommendations for Indonesia’s nutmeg export improvement. Based on the analysis of competitiveness indicators, Indonesia’s export-oriented nutmeg undergoes declining productivity, low export prices, and stagnant progress of export competitiveness compared to other producing and exporting countries. From the results of panel data estimations, human resource endowment is the most influencing factor in boosting export competitiveness of nutmeg. Consumer Price Index, Foreign Direct Investment and agricultural shares in total gross domestic product have a positive link with export competitiveness. Logistics performance for international trade is also a potential driver for competitiveness. These findings imply that policies towards high export competitiveness of the nutmeg should be tailored to improving the productivity of the product standardising global trade procedures, advancing the quality of economic outcomes, and strengthening logistics infrastructure and management.

"Facilitate" or "Hinder"： Impact of Spatial Connectivity Networks in the Digital Economy on Carbon Performance

This study took 254 cities in China from 2011 to 2021 as samples to empirically test how the spatial correlation network characteristics and node centrality of the urban digital economy affect carbon emission performance. The research showed that ① China's urban digital economy showed an obvious network development mode, but from the perspective of network node centrality, there were still significant spatial differences, showing the hierarchical distribution law of "eastern region-central and western region" and "four core urban agglomerations-four non-core urban agglomerations." ② A significant positive correlation was observed between the digital economy spatial correlation network and carbon emission performance. This conclusion was still supported after the control of the endogeneity problem and the robustness test. ③ Human capital investment had a positive moderating effect on the spatial correlation network of the digital economy and carbon emission performance. ④ The impact mechanism showed that the spatial correlation network of the digital economy could promote the improvement of carbon emission performance through industrial regional linkages and innovation cooperation networks. ⑤ Upon further analysis, the empirical results showed heterogeneity in four dimensions： geographic region, core urban agglomeration, urban resource endowment, and city size.

How do green municipal bonds affect carbon emissions in China? Evidence from the staggered difference-in-differences approach.

Under the "Dual Carbon Goals", China's municipal government bonds play a vital role in advancing local environmental governance. This paper constructs a quasi-natural experiment based on the issuance of green municipal bonds, and empirically examines its carbon emission reduction effects by using the staggered difference in differences approach. The issuance of green municipal bonds can substantially diminish the level of carbon intensity and pass a series of robustness tests. Green municipal bonds can generate green project financing effect, greening effect and industrial structure allocation effect to promote the reduction of carbon emission level in a region. At the same time, there exists heterogeneity in local governments' emphases on environmental protection, economic development, carbon peaking progress and urban resource endowment. Further research found that green municipal bonds have significant spatial spillover effect, which not only promotes the reduction of local carbon intensity, but also leads to the reduction of carbon intensity in the surrounding cities. The proposed policy implications include: increase the proportion of green municipal bonds in local government bonds; establish standardized issuing criteria of green municipal bonds, accelerate credit rating and improve performance management of green municipal bonds; design green municipal bonds according to local conditions; and strengthen green finance and its supporting services.