Effect Of Environmental Regulation Research Articles

Synergistic abatement effects of Broadband China and environmental regulation: Firm-level evidence

Based on the new era context of digital economy and green development, this study uses Broadband China (BC) as a quasi-natural experiment, combining its strategic interaction with environmental regulation (ER), to empirically test the policy synergistic abatement effect of BC and ER. BC has resulted in an average of 6 % reduction in corporate carbon emissions, and the BC–ER policy interaction has encouraged firms to further reduce their emissions. This policy mix mainly exerts an abatement effect on firms by increasing green factors at the input–output stage and improving production efficiency. Furthermore, the digitalization effect of BC reduces corporate carbon emissions. Our empirical results are stronger for firms with high financial constraints, non-heavily polluting firms, non-high-technology firms, state-owned enterprises, and developed urban agglomerations. Furthermore, BC significantly suppresses the sectoral and spatial spillover effects of corporate carbon emissions, and external shocks to ER exacerbate this suppression effect. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the “tripartite win–win” of digital construction, green transformation, and energy conservation.

Distribution and contamination of trace elements in surface sediments of the Yellow River Estuary and Laizhou Bay, China

Abstract This study analyzed trace elements (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg) in 42 surface sediment samples collected from the Yellow River Estuary and Laizhou Bay to characterize their spatial distributions and pollution statuses. Determination of trace elements was carried out by ICP-MS for Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Cd, and by AFS for As and Hg. The results showed that the average concentrations for Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg were 13.21 mg kg−1, 10 .61 mg kg−1, 21 .03 mg kg−1, 24 .41 mg kg−1, 0.14 mg kg−1, 6.47 mg kg−1, and 14.15 μg kg−1, respectively. All the trace elements were classified in the first-class sediment according to the Chinese national standard ‘Marine Sediment Quality’. The higher concentrations and pollution levels were found in the eastern Yellow River estuary which due to inputs from the Yellow River, and northeastern Laizhou Bay which could be attributed to the impacts of human activities at Longkou Port. This study has important scientific value for further understanding the source-sink effects of pollutants and regional environmental effects of heavy metals.

Can Digital Finance Enable China’s Industrial Carbon Unlocking under Environmental Regulatory Constraints? Joint Tests of Regression Analysis and Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Sustainable development goals challenge the carbon lock-in dilemma of the industrial economy, and identifying the motivation and mechanism behind carbon unlocking has become an urgent priority. With its inclusive and precise advantages, digital finance (DF) provides a new impetus for the economy’s low-carbon transformation, while reasonable environmental regulation (ER) acts as an important guiding constraint. We focus on the carbon unlocking performance of DF under ER constraints. After constructing and calculating the industrial carbon unlocking efficiency (ICUE), we observe the trends of ICUE fluctuating positively, clustering towards the eastern region, and polarization. Subsequently, based on theoretical analyses, we explore the marginal and configuration effects of DF and ER in improving ICUE using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces between 2011 and 2021 and adopt a mixed research method with regression analysis (Tobit hierarchical regression and quantile regression for panel data (QRPD)) and dynamic fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The regression analysis results show that DF can notably enhance China’s provincial ICUE, with ER generally serving as a positive moderator; however, the unlocking potential of informal environmental regulations needs further exploration. As ICUE improves in a specific location or time, the positive contribution of DF to ICUE also increases, whereas the moderating effect of ER exhibits an optimal range and follows an inverted U-shape. The dynamic fsQCA results support the findings of the regression analysis and further emphasize that effective cooperation between DF and ER is crucial for high ICUE, while inadequate DF support and the absence of formal environmental regulations remain bottlenecks in industrial carbon lock-in. Moreover, configuration paths demonstrate clear path dependency in both time and space, indicating a prolonged unlocking endeavor.

Does diversified environmental regulation effect the foreign direct investment inflows and technological innovation? A three‐stage least square approach

AbstractForeign direct investment (FDI) inflows have been significantly impacted by environmental regulation (ER). This study is aiming at analyzing the ER effect on the FDI inflows. By using the data of 2008–2018, we use Three‐stages least square (3SLS) method to assess the connection between FDI inflows and ER. The study results reveal that in Chinese industries, technological innovation (TI) is stipulated by the ER, and as a result, FDI has been engrossed. The results further reveal that TI has been enhanced by capital penetration, and a positive effect is perceived between TI and FDI. The findings of our study also show that there is a significant association between foreign capital (FC) inflows and TI, which indicates that technological policies are effective and advanced environmental policies would intensify the relevant policies between firms. Based on the study outcomes, this research proposes some policy suggestions for constructing a attuned policy system of environmental protection and FDI by regulating the implementation of conforming strategies.

Environmental Regulation and Urban Land Green Use Efficiency: China as Case Study

China's economy has shifted from high-speed growth to high-quality development, and the constraints of high consumption, high pollution, and low efficiency in urban land use on sustainable urban economic development have gradually emerged. In the process of urban land resources development, it is urgent to get rid of the traditional “sloppy” utilization method and shift to the green utilization of urban land with low consumption, low pollution, and high efficiency, which can adapt to the requirements of economic and social development in the new era. Based on this, this paper investigates the effect of environmental regulations (ER) on urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE) by using SBM model, two-way stationary panel regression and threshold regression model. The results show that: (1) The connection between ER and ULGUE is strongly U-shaped. (2) Within the bounds of land use structure optimization effect, technology innovation effect, industrial structure optimization and upgrading effect, ER significantly impacts ULGUE. Still, its threshold impact coefficient has a gradient-decreasing characteristic. (3) In the heterogeneity analysis, the effect of ER on ULGUE is more evident in eastern cities, low-pollution cities, Type II, and large cities of Type I scale. Hence, in order to maximize the effectiveness of land use, it is essential to understand the environmental restrictions that cover a realistic spectrum, play the interactive and synergistic role of "combination box", and adjust the intensity of dominant environmental regulations dynamically and flexibly according to the time and place.

Investigating the Effects of Environmental Regulation on Industrial Ecological Efficiency in China Using a Panel Smooth Transition Regression Model

Environmental regulation (ER) is a crucial tool used by governments to intervene in the environmental practices of enterprises, and it is recognized as a significant avenue to impact industrial ecological efficiency (IEE). This study uses the superefficiency SBM model to determine provincial IEE scores. Then, a panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) model is used to explore the effects of ER on IEE transition at different stages of economic growth. The main findings are as follows: Firstly, China’s IEE showed an overall upward trend, with small increments over the past two decades. Regions with higher IEE were mainly located in the east, while those with lower IEE were mostly in the less economically developed west. Secondly, the PSTR model revealed that ER had varying impacts on IEE at different stages of economic growth. ER positively influenced IEE in the early stages of economic growth. However, after surpassing the threshold of economic growth, ER began to contribute to reducing IEE scores. In addition to these findings, this study proposes a series of policy recommendations to strengthen IEE.

Challenges or drivers? Threshold effects of environmental regulation on China’s agricultural green productivity

This study investigates the effect of environmental regulation (ER) on the growth of Chinese agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP). Threshold model results suggest an inverted-U shaped interconnection between command-control ER and growth of agricultural GTFP, a decreasing positive marginal effect of voluntary ER, and an absence of influence of incentive-based ER. Regional heterogeneity test indicates that command-control ER affects agricultural GTFP growth in a far more favorable way in less developed provinces than in more developed provinces, and only the former can benefit from the synergistic effect between command-control and voluntary ER. Mediating effect test results reveal that agricultural green innovation and grain crop proportion are channels through which ER affect agricultural GTFP growth, highlighting the pressing need to stimulate green innovation and realize green transformation of grain production.

The impact of environmental regulation on carbon emissions: Evidence from China

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and climate change risk have become constraints on global economic sustainable development. Environmental regulation (ER) is a key method for achieving synergy in CO2 and pollution reduction in China. This paper is the first study to explore the effects of ER on CO2 emissions by exploiting the National Environmental Protection 11th Five-Year Plan (NEP11-FYP). The implementation of the NEP11-FYP significantly decreases CO2 emissions by 19.73% in key environmental cities relative to other cities. Heterogeneity analyses suggest that this negative impact is larger in western cities and cities with more pressure to reduce CO2 emissions. Scale effects, structural effects, and technical effects might be three potential influencing channels through which ER contributes to the CO2 reduction effect. In addition, the results of the spatial externality of the NEP11-FYP demonstrate a positive spillover effect in neighboring cities within a distance of 300 km and a negative spillover effect in cities more than 500 km away. Our empirical findings provide policy implications for implementing low-carbon transition strategies and reducing CO2 emissions.

The impact of environmental regulation and industrial agglomeration on air pollution: on the spatial spillover perspective

AbstractThis paper uses the panel data of 275 prefecture-level cities in China in 2003–2019 and spatial Durbin model to verify the impact of environmental regulation and industrial agglomeration on air pollution. This paper finds that the enforcement intensity of environmental regulations (ER) is not consistent among cities. The effects of strict ER on air pollution in local city are the inverted-U-shape curve. The effects of more stringent ER in adjacent cities j on air pollution in city i are the U-shape curve. The more stringent ER in local city may lead to the decrease in agglomeration of manufacturing sectors (AM), thereby reducing air pollution. The polluting firms may shift production from neighboring cities j with stringent ER to city i with lax ER, thereby leading to the increase in AM, which aggravate air pollution in city i. The more stringent ER in local city i may lead to the increase in agglomeration of productive service industry (AS), thereby reducing air pollution. To avoid the transfer of polluting industrial sectors, the paper suggests that the more stringent implementation of ER should become nationwide actions.

Spatiotemporal evolution and driving factors of urban green technology innovation efficiency in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle of China

IntroductionGreen technology innovation efficiency (GTIE) growth is an essential route to protect the urban ecological environment in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle (CCEC). However, the measurement and spatial driving factors of GTIE are still puzzled. MethodsThis study constructs an urban GTIE indicator system including inputs, desired outputs, and undesired outputs, and evaluates urban GTIE in the CCEC using the super-efficiency slacks-based measure (S-SBM). Then, the exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) method is applied to analyze the geographical distribution and spatial correlation characteristics of urban GTIE, and a spatial econometric model is used to analyze the influencing factors of urban GTIE from the perspective of spatial spillover. ResultsThe results suggest that: (1) From 2006 to 2020, the urban GTIE of CCEC has obviously increased, and its spatial distribution has a prominent unbalanced feature. (2) The urban GTIE of CCEC mainly presents a significant spatial positive correlation, mainly manifested in the "high-efficiency type" and "low-efficiency type" regional agglomeration patterns, and the spatial "core-edge" structure centering on Chengdu and Chongqing tends to be stable. (3) Economic development (ED), government support (GS), and environmental regulation (ER) can promote the urban GTIE. The negative spillover effects of external opening (EO) and ER are significant, and they have negative effects on the GTIE of neighboring cities. (4) Spatial heterogeneity analysis shows that the driving factors of urban GTIE with different efficiency levels are significantly different, and the spatial spillover effect of the driving factors of GTIE is more significant in high-efficiency cities.DiscussionThe urban GTIE in the CCEC is showing a growth trend, but it needs to narrow the gap in GTIE between cities. Firstly, cities can improve the GTIE by improving ED, strengthening GS, and enhancing ER. Secondly, cities need to pay attention to the negative spatial spillover effects of ER and EO in the process of improving the GTIE. Finally, cities with different efficiency types need to develop differentiated green innovation development strategies based on their own conditions.

Developing nexus between economic opening-up, environmental regulations, rent of natural resources, green innovation, and environmental upgrading of China - empirical analysis using ARDL bound-testing approach

With increasing demand for green growth globally, the escalating economic growth of China is also needed to be accompanied with environmental protection. From an environmental upgrading perspective, current study developed a nexus amid Green Total Factor Energy Productivity (GTFEP), Economic Opening-up (EOU), Environmental Regulations (ER), Rent of Natural Resources (RNR) and Green Innovation (GI) of China. Using annual data from 1990 to 2020 and applying a bound testing approach for Auto-regressive Distributed Lag model (ARDL) along with an error correction model, current study investigated short and long run dynamics amid variables of concern. The results confirmed cointegration between GTFEP and all other variables, and Granger causality analysis revealed uni-directional causality, running from independent variables towards GTFEP. Concluding the results, both long and short-run findings suggested effectiveness of EOU, ER, RNR and GI on GTFEP of China, and the results are statistically significant. Thus, the policies should be aimed to improve opening-up, environmental regulations and green innovation.

How Does Environmental Regulation Affect the Development of China’s Pig Industry

(1) Background: The pig production sector is a cornerstone in China’s agricultural industry and it urgently needs a transition from a conventional sector to one that is efficient, sustainable, and of high quality. (2) Methods: This study examines the effects of environmental regulation (ER) on the development of the pig industry (DPI) between 2005 and 2019. From the perspective of the breeding, production, and consumption industry chain, a comprehensive evaluation index system is used to assess the progress of the pig industry. Furthermore, the effects of ER on the DPI and its mechanism were evaluated using the FGLS and system-GMM. (3) Results: According to the empirical findings, ER exhibits a U-shaped non-linear effect on DPI in both high- and low-pig-production zones. Technological innovation and large-scale farming would lessen the detrimental effects of ER on DPI. Additionally, according to the outcomes of the implementation of local environmental protection policies, LER and DPI have an inverted U-shaped relationship in major producing areas and a U-shaped relationship in non-major producing areas. (4) Conclusions: This essay offers several solutions and advice, including strengthening environmental regulation legislation and encouraging breeding industry advancements.

Preventing Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in China: The Effect of Environmental Regulation with Digitization

Environmental regulation (ER) is essential to preventing agricultural non-point source pollution (ANSP). Prior research has focused on the effect of ER on agricultural pollution (AP), but little is known about the impact of ER following digitization on preventing AP, particularly ANSP. Based on the spatial heterogeneity, the effect of ER was examined using a geographic detector tool with provincial panel data from 2010 to 2020 in rural China. The results show that ER is a driver in preventing ANSP, primarily because of the constraint on farmers' behavior. Digitization positively affects the prevention of ANSP, as the new impetus for the infrastructure, technology, and capital is supported. The interaction between ER and digitalization forms a driving effect on the prevention of ANSP, indicating that digitalization constitutes the path dependence of farmers' rule acquisition and perception and addresses the "free riding" dilemma of farmers' participation, thereby enabling the incentive of ER to make agricultural production green and efficient. These findings indicate that the endogenous factor of digitization allowing ER is essential to preventing ANSP.

Environmental Regulation Effect on Green Total Factor Productivity: Mediating Role of Foreign Direct Investment Quantity and Quality.

Green total factor productivity (GTFP) is an excellent index for green development. The objective of this study was to check whether environmental regulation (ER) can affect GTFP through the mediating role of foreign direct investment (FDI) quantity and quality. Using the super-efficiency Epsilon-based measure (EBM) model and a Malmquist-Luenberger (ML) index, China's GTFP growth was measured during 1998-2018. On this basis, we adopted a Systematic Generalized Method of Moments (SYS-GMM) to analyze the effect of ER on GTFP. The findings show that China's GTFP declined first and rose again during the sample period. GTFP in the coastland was greater than that in the inland region. ER positively affected China's GTFP growth. FDI quantity and quality mediated the nexus between ER and GTFP growth in the whole nation. Specifically, this mediation role of FDI quantity and quality was only significant in coastal China. Additionally, financial development can also boost GTFP growth in China. Given the importance of developing a green economy, the government should improve the FDI quality and attract green FDI.

The Spatial Spillover Effects of Environmental Regulations on Forestry Ecological Security Efficiency in China

The report of the 20th national congress of the communist party of China (NCCPC) announced the long-term goal of promoting green development by adhering to ecological priorities and expanding green areas. Ensuring forestry ecological security is necessary to achieve this. This article studies the impact of environmental regulations (ER) on forestry ecological security efficiency (FESE) based on provincial panel data from 2005 to 2019 using a spatial econometric model, which evaluates the spatial spillover effect of FESE and analyzes the improvement path of FESE. This study shows the following: (1) China’s FESE is at a low level. (2) The current increase in FESE is heavily based on scale expansion; it is necessary to further release the technological dividend, and the coordinated development of technical efficiency and scale efficiency promotes forestry development. (3) FESE has a negative spatial spillover effect, emphasizing spatial linkage effects and achieving optimal allocation of production factors. (4) The indirect effect of ER on FESE is linear in the positive direction and the direct effect of the quadratic term ER on FESE is inverted “U” shaped. The provincial governments separately formulate ER to form a horizontal linkage for pollution control, improve the forestry ecological compensation system, incorporate a green economy assessment into political performance, and comprehensively coordinate environmental policy implementation to promote FESE.

Local-neighborhood effects of environmental regulations on green technology innovation in manufacturing: Green credit-based regulation

With the deterioration of environmental pollution, resource security and climate crisis, transforming the mode of economic development and developing a green economy have turned into an international consensus. However, environmental regulations (ERs) can help facilitate technological innovation. As an important financial support for the green innovation transformation of China’s manufacturing industry, it is crucial to exploit the policy synergy between green credit (GC) and ERs at the regional level to stimulate technological innovation effects. GC, as a financial instrument, can play a unique role in ERs; therefore, the relationship between ERs and the level of green technology innovation (GTI) based on the GC perspective deserves an in-depth study. Using a spatial Durbin model (SDM) for the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2006 to 2016, this paper explores the spatial effects of ERs and GC on GTI in manufacturing and the moderating effects of GC policies on ERs affecting GTI. The research finds that ERs exert a negative impact on local manufacturing GTIs and undermine the innovation effect in neighboring locations through spatial spillover effects. The development of GC helps stimulate the transformation of GTI in local manufacturing industries with further attention on the effects of policy instruments and their combinations. The moderating effect of GC suggests that its development can weaken the inhibiting effect of ERs on GTI in local and neighboring areas and is particularly significant in coastal areas. Our study provides a theoretical basis and policy insights for coordinating government external intervention and market operation laws at the regional level to bring into play the incentive effect of technological innovation.

Measure is treasure: Revisiting the role of environmental regulation in Chinese industrial green productivity

Green productivity plays an important role in China's industrial economy. By adopting the technique of Malmquist Luenberger index based on the non-radial directional distance function (NDDF), this paper evaluates the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of the 36 sub-industries in China's industrial field from 2005 to 2015. On this basis, this article further investigates the effects as well as impact mechanisms of environmental regulation (ER) on the industrial GTFP. The empirical analysis reveals that there is a significant positive correlation between ER and industrial green growth, with a one-standard-deviation rise in ER leading to an average 0.0683% GTFP increase. Through the decomposition procedure of Chinese industrial GTFP, we further prove that technological progress, compared to technical efficiency improvement, plays a more essential role in driving industrial green growth. Results of the intermediate effects model indicate that ER can promote the industrial GTFP through industrial structure upgrading. We also find that the effect of ER varies with the levels of per capita output, energy efficiency, and technology intensity. This study sheds new light on the effects of ER on industrial GTFP from perspectives of heterogeneous effects and impact mechanisms analysis.

The Relationship between Environmental Regulation, Industrial Transformation Change and Urban Low-Carbon Development: Evidence from 282 Cities in China.

Environmental regulation (ER) plays an important role in urban low-carbon development (ULCD). First of all, we evaluate the ULCD level of 282 cities in China from 2005 to 2020 by constructing an index group and entropy method. Two panel models are then used to test the spillover effects and threshold effects of ER and industrial structure on ULCD. The results show that the ULCD level of most cities is still in grade III (0.27–0.38) or IV (0.38–0.49), and the level of central-western cities is generally lower than that of eastern cities. Furthermore, the spillover effect of ER and industrial structure upgrading (UIS) on ULCD is positive in eastern cities (0.038) but opposite in central or western cities (−0.024). Further results show that the positive effects of optimization of industrial structure (OIS) and UIS are gradually increasing with the improvement of ER. However, the positive effects are more beneficial to the eastern cities. Therefore, the conclusions of this study can provide a decision-making reference for local government to comprehensively formulate environmental and industrial policies to enhance the low-carbon development of cities.

Environmental regulation, foreign investment, and green innovation: a case study from China.

Green innovation (GI) has the dual attributes of green development and being innovation driven, and it has become an inevitable choice for solving the prisoner's dilemma of environmental protection and economic development under the action of the concept of sustainable development in the new era. This paper aims to clarify how environmental regulation (ER) can achieve a win‒win situation of GI and environmental protection by using data from prefecture-level cities in China and creating a dynamic panel model, quantile model, spatial econometric model, and panel threshold model to empirically analyze the dynamic effect and spatial effect of ER on GI as well as the nonlinear characteristics of the relationship between them and to examine the moderating effect of foreign direct investment (FDI). The results show that ER significantly promotes the development of the GI level and that FDI can play a positive moderating role. The impact has regional heterogeneity, time period heterogeneity, and resource endowment heterogeneity. After several robustness tests, the empirical conclusions are still credible. Based on the empirical conclusions, this paper makes policy suggestions on ER, foreign investment introduction, and the coordinated development of regional GI.

Why is COD pollution from Chinese manufacturing declining?——The role of environmental regulation

This paper combines the datasets of the Annual Survey of Industrial Firms and Pollution Emission of Chinese Firms, and uses the difference-in-differences method to explore the impact of environmental regulation on firm chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions. Using China's COD reduction targets in the 11th Five-Year Plan, we show that environmental regulation reduces firms' COD emissions. The mechanism analysis suggests that the decline of firms' COD emissions caused by environmental regulation is not only driven by the cutting of firm's output but also the falling of COD emission intensity, and environmental regulation's effect on COD emission intensity is much larger. Furthermore, we find end-of-pipe treatment is not at work to the decline of COD emission intensity and front-end preventive control takes effect. Besides, exit of the emission inefficiency firms also contributes to the improvement of firm's COD emissions efficiency.