Pollution Output Research Articles

Greening the Economy from the Ground Up: How the Minimum Wage Affects Firms’ Pollution Emissions in China

The implications of minimum wage standards have been widely debated, but their effects on firms’ pollution emissions and the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. This paper finds that the introduction of minimum wage standards significantly reduces emissions of pollutants such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Firms respond to rising minimum wages by optimizing their product mix, enhancing technological innovation, and improving managerial efficiency, which collectively curb pollution outputs. Our analysis using a random forest model shows that these effects are most pronounced in regions with higher economic development, stringent environmental regulations, and elevated minimum wage standards. Our findings augment the body of research on minimum wage standards and introduce novel insights for emission reduction strategies for firms.

How to improve fishery eco-efficiency by building marine ranch in China

Based on the panel data of the province and municipality in 2010–2021, this paper measures the fishery eco-efficiency by using the SBM-DEA model and empirically analyses how China’s marine ranch construction improves the fishery eco-efficiency by using the double-difference fixed-effect model. The results show that, firstly, China’s marine ranch construction can improve the fishery eco-efficiency. Secondly, China’s marine ranch construction promotes fisheries eco-efficiency by improving the input efficiency of labor, fish species, fishing vessel, fishery technology extension, aquaculture area and by reducing pollutant outputs. Thirdly, the fishery eco-efficiency of the marine ranch construction region has increased annually since 2015, and technological changes, scale efficiency changes and technical efficiency changes can all contribute to the fishery eco-efficiency improvement, and increase in order. Based on the results of the empirical analyses, this paper proposes policy recommendations to improve the fishery eco-efficiency in the conjunction with the construction of marine ranch in China.

Pollutant transport model with large time-scale and estimation of land-use export coefficients at a watershed level.

The pollutant transport equilibrium in a watershed can be analyzed on a large time scale, and land-use export coefficients can be calculated directly under certain hydrologic and transport conditions, by ignoring hydrologic and transport processes at small space and time scales on hydrologic response units. In this study, the water environment system of a watershed was deconstructed into three parts (source, source-sink, and runoff transport) to construct a pollutant transportation equilibrium model on a large time scale. A watershed with an annual source-sink accumulation of zero was defined as a completely transported watershed; therefore, we derived a completely transported equilibrium equation. The problem of seeking the land export coefficient was converted into a problem of seeking the optimal solution of linear programming, which can be estimated according to the variation in pollutant output processes. The feasibility of the solution can be analyzed using multi-year stochastic rainfall processes. The model was used to analyze the transport equilibrium of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) upstream of the monitored cross-sections in a watershed, which covered 3145.66 km2. The land export coefficients were calculated according to the model. The model calculations indicated that the watershed was completely transported during perennial years. The calculated export coefficients of COD, TN, and TP for farmland, primary vegetation, and urban land were within the range of general empirical values. The calculated maximum accumulations of COD, TN, and TP were 0.19 × 107, 0.063 × 107, and 0.049 × 106 kg, respectively, for perennial rainfall. PRACTITIONER POINTS: A completely transported watershed was defined, and a model of pollutant transportation equilibrium with large time-scale was constructed. A problem of seeking the optimal solution of a linear programming was designed to estimate the land export coefficient of COD, TN, and TP. The runoff transport and accumulation processes of COD, TN, and TP in a watershed was analyzed.

Advancements in Emission Reduction Technologies for the Maritime Industry a Comprehensive Analysis

This peer-reviewed scholarly article delves into recent progress in emission reduction technologies within the maritime domain, highlighting the necessity of a comprehensive and all-encompassing assessment. With its substantial role in global commerce, the maritime sector confronts escalating environmental hurdles due to its significant pollution output. The research investigates three primary technological advancements: exhaust gas scrubbers, alternative fuels like LNG, biofuels, and hydrogen, and energy-efficient propulsion systems encompassing hybrid, electric, and wind-assisted solutions. Each technology undergoes scrutiny concerning its efficacy, economic viability, and environmental benefits, complemented by tables for elucidation. Furthermore, the research briefly touches on evolving regulatory frameworks shaping the adoption of these technologies. By amalgamating these insights, the research underscores the crucial significance of a holistic strategy in steering the maritime industry toward sustainable practices and curbing its environmental impact

The impact of reducing trade barriers on enterprises' pollution emissions: Evidence from China

AbstractTrade and pollution are important issues for people's well‐being. However, less attention has been paid to the study of changes in international trade rules affecting the emission behavior of micro firms. This paper takes the quota restriction of the multi‐fiber arrangement (MFA) lifted as an exogenous impact and explores the impact of trade barriers reduction on pollution emissions of textile industries using the difference‐in‐differences (DID) method. The results show that (1) after the quota restriction of the MFA was lifted, the reduction of trade barriers increased the pollution emissions of the textile industry. The enterprises' SO2 emission intensity with trade barriers reduced increases by 8.1% compared to the industries with trade barriers that have not been reduced. (2) The impact of the trade barrier reduction on enterprises' pollution emissions varies with the type of enterprise ownership, export nature, and enterprise scale. For private enterprises, export enterprises, and large‐scale enterprises, the promotion effect of trade barrier reduction on enterprises' pollution emissions is more significant. (3) The mechanism test results show that the increase in SO2 emission intensity is mainly caused by the increase in the market share of enterprises, the deterioration of energy structure, and the increase in pollution output of enterprises. Therefore, it is critical to reduce enterprises' pollution emissions by maintaining a reasonable market share, optimizing energy structures, and increasing investment in pollution treatment equipment. This study reveals that changes in MFA international trade rules have profoundly influenced the production decision‐making behavior of companies in exporting countries, producing deep implications for enterprise pollution emission behavior and providing empirical evidence and management guidance for developing countries' development of environmentally friendly trade policies and responses to trade‐induced environmental pollution shocks.

Optimal design of low impact development at a community scale considering urban non-point source pollution management under uncertainty

Urban non-point source (NPS) pollution management is receiving increased attention because of the environmental and ecological consequences of urbanization. We developed a Storm Water Management Model (SWMM)-based interval double-sided chance-constrained programming (SWMM–IDCCP) model for the optimal design of low impact development (LID) during urban NPS pollution management at a community scale. Pollution control efficiency and economic costs related to LID practices were considered in the SWMM–IDCCP model, simultaneously addressing uncertainties in pollutant output and decision-making processes. Specifically, by combining SWMM, Monte Carlo simulation, interval linear programming, and double-sided chance-constrained programming, the SWMM–IDCCP model can evaluate export loads of urban NPS pollutants and pollution control efficiencies of LID practices and analyze the corresponding uncertainties. Concurrently, the proposed model can provide reliable and optimal implementation schemes for LID practices under different scenarios, dealing with uncertainties such as discrete intervals and double-sided random parameters. The proposed model was applied to the Dongguan University of Technology in Dongguan City, South China. The random distribution characteristics of pollution load were identified. The ranges of pollution load for total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus were 76,430–165,698, 44,366–74,155, 2118–3,830, and 97–177 kg in 2021, respectively. Probability distribution characteristics of pollution control efficiencies of three LID practices (i.e., bio-retention cell, green roof, and permeable pavement) for the four urban NPS pollutants were obtained. Using the SWMM-IDCCP model, LID configuration schemes were obtained under diverse pollution control targets and confidence levels, taking into account variations in the decision preference of different administrators. This research indicates that the SWMM-IDCCP model can be used to manage urban NPS pollution at a community scale under uncertainty.

Study and Application of Estimation Method for Environmental Background Pollution Fluxes into the River in Source Areas

The background values of pollutants are becoming increasingly prominent in evaluating water quality and management, and their load and output characteristics are of great significance to the study of changes in the background values. Thus, this paper studies the estimation method for background pollutant fluxes into a river in a forested river source in northeastern China with deficient data or without data. Based on the results of a soak experiment and leaching experiment, as well as natural rainfall runoff experiments, the conversion relationship of the pollutant concentration in the medium was established, the transformation relationship of the pollutant concentration in the medium was established, its load into the river in a small watershed was estimated, and the estimation method was verified according to the measurements (average relative error: 20.5%). Then, the background pollutant loading into the river was calculated on a large scale by improving the pollutant output coefficient model and the universal soil loss equation (average relative error: 18.7%, 24.7%). The results show that the method mentioned above can better reflect the background pollutant loading into the river. This study provides an effective strategy to estimate the background pollutant loading into rivers in areas without data or with missing data, and also provides a theoretical basis for the study of zoning and the formulation of a water environment evaluation system based on background values.

Spatiotemporal Variations of Water Eutrophication and Non-Point Source Pollution Prevention and Control in the Main Stream of the Yellow River in Henan Province from 2012 to 2021

Protecting the water quality of the Yellow River is of great significance to the ecological protection of the Yellow River Basin. The identification of spatiotemporal variations of the water environment and the implementation of measures to control non-point source (NPS) pollution are both key to improving the water quality. Between 2012 and 2021, we conducted assessments of eight indicators, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH, chemical oxygen demand (CODMn), five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5), total phosphorus (TP), NO3-N, and NH3-N at six sites in the main stream of the Yellow River in Henan. We explored the causes of changes in water eutrophication using multivariate statistical analysis and formulated recommendations to improve NPS pollution through adjustments in land use patterns. The results showed that temporal water eutrophication markedly decreased and it was most spatially severe in the east. The most effective control of water eutrophication was observed between 2016 and 2018. As the transition from the flood season to the non-flood season took place, the main source of NPS pollution changed from being primarily influenced by precipitation, to being predominantly attributed to agricultural runoff. We recommend addressing the increased soil erosion in the west and controlling the discharge of agricultural effluent in the east. During the flood season, the ecological interception zones can effectively intercept NPS pollution outputs. These findings offer valuable insights for future scientific management strategies to prevent and control NPS pollution in the river.

Digital financial development, synergistic reduction of pollution, and carbon emissions: evidence from biased technical change.

Environmental pollution control and greenhouse gas emissions reduction have become the main ecological protection issues. The digital transformation of the financial sector provides a vital opportunity to holistically promote environmental governance. This article incorporates the synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon emissions into the environmental governance system of digital financial development. Using panel data from 280 cities in China between 2011 and 2018, we examine the impact of digital financial development on the synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon emissions. We find that (1) digital finance development can significantly improve the synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon emissions, effectively lowering carbon emissions while reducing pollution. External environmental concerns can further unleash the potential for digital finance development to enhance its synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon emissions. (2) The key transmission mechanism lies in the dual guidance of digital finance development toward biased technical change, i.e., toward energy-saving elements on the input side and toward reduced pollution output on the output side, thereby inducing the synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon emissions. (3) The synergistic effect of digital finance development on pollution and carbon reduction depends on the necessary regional development endowment, such as strong green technology innovation capabilities, lower traditional financial accessibility, and carbon sink reserves. This study expands the understanding of the environmental effects of digital finance development and offers crucial insights for exploring the optimal development path under green strategies.

Investigating the effect of anode materials on the performance and microbial community in an integrated chamber-free microbial fuel cell

Conventionally, there are two basic configurations for microbial fuel cell (MFC), one with anode and cathode chambers, as known as dual-chamber MFC, one with only anode chamber and a air–cathode, called single-chamber MFC. However, electrode materials' complex configuration and high resistance limit their practical applications in power generation and wastewater purification. To this end, we constructed three MFCs using carbon felt, Ni/Ti, and Ag-Ni/Ti as anodes based on our previously constructed integrated chamber-free MFC (iMFC). After 21 days of operation, the Ag-Ni/Ti-MFC performed best in bioelectricity output and removal of target pollutants. The bioelectricity output parameters were an open-circuit voltage of 0.773 V, a maximum current density of 552.1429 mA/m2, and a power density of 426.8064 mW/m2. Furthermore, the MFC achieved removals of 67.90% for the chemical oxygen demand (COD), 55.20% for total nitrogen (TN), and 61.83% for ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N). Introducing silver nanoparticles to the transmembrane and outer membrane boosted the charge extraction efficiency in the MFCs. Moreover, 16S rDNA analysis indicated that typical electricity-producing bacteria, including Comamonas, Paraclostridium, and Asaccharospora, had a higher relative abundance in the Ag-Ni/Ti-MFC anode than in other anodes. Overall, the surface structure of different anode materials plays a critical role in bioelectricity generation and wastewater purification using iMFC by affecting the mass transfer of substrates and metabolites.

Characteristics of Nitrogen in Overlying Water and Sediment of Typical Agricultural Drainage Ditches during Different Periods in a Freezing-Thaw Area of China

In the Sanjiang Plain, agricultural drainage ditches effectively alleviate agricultural non-point source nitrogen pollution. However, limited information is known about the characteristics of bidirectional trans-ports of nitrogen between sediment and overlying and pore water in different patterns of ditches undergoing seasonal freezing-thawing cycles. It is vital to better understand nitrogen interception and purification by ecological ditches. In order to clarify the interception of ecological ditches on internal and external nitrogen, overlying water and sediment samples of two typical agricultural ditches were collected and analyzed in Sanjiang Plain during the growing seasons of 2015–2017. The results indicated that the N-NO3− in overlying water, which was higher than N-NH4+, was the dominant inorganic nitrogen, whilst, in the sediment, N-NH4+ was much higher than N-NO3−, which should be attributed to the soil’s adsorption of N-NH4+. In contrast to the dryland ditch, the paddy ditch had a more significant amount of inorganic nitrogen both in overlying water and sediment, which means that the non-point source nitrogen pollution caused by paddy fields was more severe than that of drylands. Compared with dryland ditches, N-NH4+ in the sediment of pad ditches seemed to be much easier to migrate to a deeper layer, which may cause a greater risk of nitrogen pollution to groundwater. Both in the overlying water and the sediment of ditches, nitrogen content fluctuated during different periods, and inter-annual variation was noticeable, which results means that estimation or prediction of the non-point source pollution output needs to extend the monitoring period and increase sampling frequency to reduce the great uncertainty. The findings may provide a foundation for forecasting agricultural nitrogen pollution and guide best management practices (BMPs) of non-point source nitrogen pollution control in seasonally frozen areas.

Water Pollution in Cobalt and Nickel by the Effect of Adding Urban Waste in Al-Diwaniyah River / Iraq

This study was conducted in Al-Diwaniyah Governorate, Iraq, across four seasons with the intention of determining the impact of introducing liquid urban waste (including sewage, waste water, factory, and sewer water) on the content of cobalt and nickel in river water. At each location and during each of the following four seasons: summer in July, 2021; autumn in October, 2021; winter in January, 2022; and spring in April, 2022; for the following three locations: The first site was positioned at the entrance to Diwaniyah (Saniaa), which represents the control treatment as it is located before to the pollution outputs. The numerous sources of pollution that are discharged into the river, as well as the second location in the city center (the neighborhood of Refaat), and the third location in the Al-Sidair region, which is the final location in the city of Diwaniyah following the cessation of all pollution discharges into the river. The third, where the highest significant concentration of cobalt was 0.2400 μg l-1 in the summer, the third site, where it exceeded the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the lowest concentration was 0.0033 μg l-1 In the winter, the first site, while the highest concentration of Nickel was 0.382 μg l-1 in the summer, the third site, thus exceeding the critical limits of the World Health Organization (WHO), and its lowest concentration was 0.022 μg l-1 in the winter, the first site.

Green finance and clean taxes are the ways to curb carbon emissions: An OECD experience

The rising carbon dioxide emissions pose a significant threat to environmental sustainability. The attention, once primarily on production-based emissions, has recently shifted towards consumption-based carbon (CCO2) emissions. While much of the existing literature focuses on production-based impacts, the interplay between green finance, environmental taxes, and CCO2 emissions is yet to be comprehensively explored. To address this knowledge gap, our study investigates the dynamics of these variables across 21 OECD economies from 1990 to 2020, also considering trade activities and economic growth. We employ the second-generation unit root test and methodologies to manage cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity, establishing cointegration among the variables of interest. Applying an innovative quantile regression method adapted for non-normal data distribution, our results highlight economic growth and imports as major drivers of CCO2 emissions, with exports, green finance, and environmental taxes serving as substantial mitigating forces. This pattern remains consistent across all quantiles. Our analysis reveals a unidirectional influence of trade on CCO2 emissions, with bidirectional causality observed between economic growth, green finance, environmental taxes, and CCO2 emissions. In light of our findings, we recommend fostering green finance and levying environmental taxes in industries with high pollution output as key strategies for advancing environmental sustainability.

Water Pollution in Cobalt and Nickel by the Effect of Adding Urban Waste in Al-Diwaniyah River / Iraq

This study was conducted in Al-Diwaniyah Governorate, Iraq, across four seasons with the intention of determining the impact of introducing liquid urban waste (including sewage, waste water, factory, and sewer water) on the content of cobalt and nickel in river water. At each location and during each of the following four seasons: summer in July, 2021; autumn in October, 2021; winter in January, 2022; and spring in April, 2022; for the following three locations: The first site was positioned at the entrance to Diwaniyah (Saniaa), which represents the control treatment as it is located before to the pollution outputs. The numerous sources of pollution that are discharged into the river, as well as the second location in the city center (the neighborhood of Refaat), and the third location in the Al-Sidair region, which is the final location in the city of Diwaniyah following the cessation of all pollution discharges into the river. The third, where the highest significant concentration of cobalt was 0.2400 μg l-1 in the summer, the third site, where it exceeded the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the lowest concentration was 0.0033 μg l-1 In the winter, the first site, while the highest concentration of Nickel was 0.382 μg l-1 in the summer, the third site, thus exceeding the critical limits of the World Health Organization (WHO), and its lowest concentration was 0.022 μg l-1 in the winter, the first site.

Output response of non‐point source pollutants and its driving mechanisms of different arable land use patterns

AbstractThe irrational use of arable land has caused increased nutrient loss and aggravated non‐point source (NPS) pollution. This natural process has a significant socioeconomic origin. However, because of the inconsistency between the simulation scale of NPS pollution mechanism models and the statistical calibre of socioeconomic factors, the quantitative expression of the relationship between socioeconomic development, arable land use, and NPS pollutant output needs further exploration. We improved the mechanism model using a flow accumulation algorithm to construct a measure of the NPS pollutant output response at the administrative region scale. The mediating effect test confirmed that socioeconomic factors such as labour transfer, farmland property rights, large‐scale operations, agricultural technological progress and risk aversion were also fundamental drivers that affected the NPS pollutant output by changing the arable land use form factors. The mediating drivers included endowment, landscape morphology, management system, planting mode and production capacity. The average total phosphorus concentrations per unit area in townships with various arable land use patterns were grain and economical crop extensive operations (0.83 mg/L); grain and economical crop scale operations (0.54 mg/L); grain, oil, and cotton scale operations (0.45 mg/L); and suburban compound operations (0.44 mg/L). We found that the degree of influence and path of each fundamental and mediating driver on NPS pollutant output concentrations showed clear differences between townships with different patterns, which were the primary reasons for the significant differences in NPS pollutant output responses.

Comparative life cycle assessment of whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) cultured in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), biofloc technology (BFT) and higher-place ponds (HPP) farming systems in China

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), biofloc technology (BFT), and higher-place ponds (HPP) are considered as alternative technologies in addressing major environmental challenges linked to conventional Whiteleg shrimp farming systems. Global concern about energy consumption and carbon emission in aquaculture industries, especially in countries like China. The application of life cycle assessment (LCA) in shrimp aquaculture, especially in comparing different shrimp production systems, is being used. In our study, surveys on three RAS, three BFT and nine HPP farms have been conducted, and the data inputs were used to establish a cradle to farm-gate LCA by means of software SimaPro 9.3.0.2 and CML-IA methods to evaluate the environmental performance. The methods are well suited to this LCA, as it focuses mainly on energy consumption input, pollution output, and ecological damage. A ton of live weight shrimp production did generate 4424.2, 4657.2, and 4965.6 kg CO2 eq; 21.8, 25.9, 36.2 kg PO4 eq; 38.7, 40.6 and 43.5 kg SO2 eq in RAS, BFT and HPP systems, respectively. Regarding the characterization and normalization results, eleven categories (abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, etc.) were considered. In most impact categories, the results showed that HPP had the highest environmental impact per unit production when compared to RAS and BFT. Acidification potential (AP) and eutrophication potential (EP) were the top two contributing factors to RAS, BFT and HPP. And AP and EP is closely related to the production of electricity. Electricity was identified as primary contributors in all farming processes. Results indicate that BFT and RAS could be used in combination to reduce environmental impacts. In order to improve the environmental performance of these farming systems, feed ingredients substitution; feeding management and effluent treatment are among the suggested measures. In order to enhanced aquaculture LCI databases and support aquaculture LCA research, the life cycle inventory for shrimp farming were established.

Impacts of Land Cover Change on the Spatial Distribution of Nonpoint Source Pollution Based on SWAT Model

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is a pressing issue worldwide, especially in the Chesapeake Bay, where sediment, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) are the most critical water quality concerns. Despite significant efforts by federal, state, and local governments, the improvement in water quality has been limited. Investigating the spatial distribution of NPS hotspots can help understand NPS pollutant output and guide control measures. We hypothesize that as land cover changes from natural (e.g., forestland) and agricultural to suburban and ultra-urban, the distribution of NPS pollution source areas becomes increasingly spatially uniform. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed three real watersheds with varying land cover (Greensboro watershed for agriculture, Watts Branch watershed for suburban, and Watershed 263 for ultra-urban) and three synthetic watersheds developed based on the Watts Branch watershed, which ranged from forested and agricultural to ultra-urban but had the same soil, slope, and weather conditions. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was selected as a phenomenological model for the analysis, and SWAT-CUP was used for model calibration and validation. The hydrologic responses of the three real and synthetic watersheds were simulated over ten years (1993–2002 or 2002–2011), and calibration and validation results indicated that SWAT could properly predict the export of runoff and three target NPS pollution constituents (sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus). The results showed that the distribution of NPS pollutant outputs becomes increasingly uniform as land cover changes from agriculture to ultra-urban across watersheds. This research suggests that the spatial distribution of NPS pollution source areas is a function of the major land cover category of study watersheds, and control strategies should be adapted accordingly. If NPS pollution is distributed unevenly across a watershed, hotspot areas output a disproportionate amount of pollution and require more targeted and intensive control measures. Conversely, if the distribution of NPS pollution is more uniform across a watershed, the control strategies need to be more widespread and encompass a larger area.

The impact of sports industry agglomeration on the high-quality development of green energy

As China’s economy has transitioned, the energy industry has developed rapidly. The government is promoting a revolution in energy production and consumption and building a green, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system. The high-quality development of green energy has become an essential part of high-quality economic development. This paper constructs a high-quality green energy development indicator system from three aspects: green energy production, green energy output and pollution output. Then, the entropy weight method is used to measure the high-quality development level of inter-provincial green energy in China from 2010 to 2018. Moreover, the characteristics of regional differences and time evolution are deeply analyzed. Based on this, the impact of sports industry agglomeration on the high-quality development of green energy is verified. The results show that the aggregation of the sports industry can increase the level of high-quality development of green energy, and different regions have heterogeneous characteristics. Finally, based on the research conclusions, this paper puts forward some policy recommendations for promoting high-quality energy development in China.

From nature back to nature: Spectrally modified poplar and its all-day passive radiative cooling

Thermal radiation properties of natural wood are mainly affected by its chemical composition and physical structure. In the atmospheric transparency window (8–13 µm), cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin all have high average emissivity of 95.77%, 96.83% and 97.22%, respectively. This allows wood to continuously transfer radiation heat to outer space without hindrance, according to natural radiative cooling principle. It is so attractive to develop its all-day radiative cooling potential for continuous heat dissipation and energy-saving without energy input and pollutant output. Cooling capacity is directly affected by spectral property, for which delignified wood is prepared to explore the relation between lignin content and thermal radiation properties of wood. Results show that, the lower lignin content of wood would cause the higher average solar reflectivity and daytime radiative cooling power density, without affecting infrared emissivity and nighttime radiative cooling performance. With lignin content of 0.94%, delignified wood achieves all-day radiative cooling performance, obtaining average temperature drop of 2.60 K and 3.81 K at daytime and nighttime. Magically, its surface has a redirecting effect on incident heat, to the credit of the removal of amorphous lignin and inherited cellulose arrangement. Such a light-weight, environment-friendly, low-cost and all-day energy-saving material combining natural wood and natural radiative cooling principle provides a novel option for green products.

Does green credit promote green sustainable development in regional economies?-Empirical evidence from 280 cities in China.

China has been exploring a sustainable development path that harmonizes economic growth and environmental protection, targeting to build a beautiful China. The role of green finance in adjusting the misallocation of financial resources and leading the green sustainable development of the real economy is receiving increasingly more attention. Currently, green credit accounts for more than 90% of the total green finance funding in China and constitutes the most significant component of the green finance matrix. Whether green credit effectively promotes the green and sustainable development of the regional economy largely determines the success of China's economic green transformation. Existing studies of green credit mainly focus on its influences on financing, investment, and emission reduction of environmental pollution industries or companies. Extending the literature by exploring whether green credit is effective in promoting green sustainable development and what impact green credit exerts on the upstream (energy inputs), midstream (technological innovation), and downstream (pollution outputs) stages of the green sustainable development value chain, is the leading research objective of this paper. This paper discusses the impact of green credit on green sustainable development based on city panel data from 2012 to 2019. The level of green sustainable development is calculated by the GML index based on SBM directional distance function. The city-level green credit scale is calculated from the green credit issued by banks, weighted by the density of bank branches in a city. Synthetic control methods are employed in the robustness analysis to reduce the impact of endogeneity issues. The results of this paper indicate that green credit can promote green sustainable development and the impact gradually strengthens over time as the incremental implementations of complementary policies with substantial constraints and incentives, through which pollution control and economic growth achieve a "win-win" situation. Furthermore, the results indicate that green credit reduces the overall amount of energy inputs while optimizing the energy input structure. However, green credit does not boost the green technological level and even crowds out high technical value green innovations. Besides, the pollution reduction effects of green credit are associated with the strength of green credit constraints and the importance of pollution industries in the local economy, which means green credit performs better pollution reduction effects in regions with relatively strong green credit binding effects or in regions where pollution industries are not local economic pillars. The empirical results are further validated through robustness tests, including changing scope and measurement variables and applying the synthetic control method. Although this paper provides valuable contributions to the research area of green credit and green sustainable development, specific limitations exist in the current study. Firstly, as the official information disclosure of green credit in China is not sufficient, existing studies, including ours, could only use estimation methods through different perspectives to measure green credit, which is overall logical and reasonable but may lose some accuracy. Secondly, since there might be a certain degree of lag in the effect of green credit on the economy, the dynamic impact and long-term effects of green credit deserve further study. Thirdly, considering the characteristics of the Chinese administrative systems, introducing the behavior of local governments and local officials into the analysis of green credit and green sustainable development could be valuable.