Zone Policy Research Articles

Has the Establishment of High-Tech Zones Improved Urban Economic Resilience? Evidence from Prefecture-Level Cities in China

The establishment of high-tech zones in China represents a significant policy tool aimed at fostering urban scientific and technological innovation while ensuring steady and sustainable economic growth. Using high-tech zones as a quasi-natural experiment and 233 prefecture-level cities in China from 1990 to 2021 as a research sample, this article constructs a difference-in-difference model to test the impact of high-tech zones on urban economic resilience. Our findings reveal several key insights. First, high-tech zones play a crucial role in enhancing urban economic resilience, which is robust across multiple tests. Second, there is significant variation in the influence of high-tech zones on urban economic resilience. Large cities, cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB), and eastern cities are more affected than other cities. Third, improving urban innovation ability and optimizing resource allocation are important ways through which high-tech zones influence urban economic resilience. These findings contribute significantly to the evaluation of the high-tech zones policy and form empirical evidence of the policy arrangements’ regional-level impact on economic resilience.

Green finance and corporate environmental investment: "Scale Up" or "Efficiency Up"?

The establishment of green finance reform and innovation (GFRI) pilot zone is an important measure of the Chinese government to urge enterprises to develop green transformation. This paper explores the impact of pilot policies in the GFRI pilot zone on corporate environmental investment. Based on 819 A-share listed enterprises from 2010 to 2020, our staggered difference-in-differences (staggered DID) estimation documents revealed that enterprises in the GFRI pilot zone significantly increased the corporate environmental investment efficiency but reduced the scale of corporate environmental investment.This conclusion remained robust after Propensity Scores Matching difference-in-differences (PSM-DID), replacing dependent variables, and shortening the time window. We contend that the increased research and development (R&D) expenditure and technological innovation are the potential mechanisms at work. Heterogeneity analysis showed that the establishment of GFRI improved the environmental investment efficiency of polluting enterprises but had no effect on green enterprises.Meanwhile, the effect of GFRI exhibited heterogeneity in the type of enterprise ownership. This paper evaluates the implementation effect of GFRI from the perspective of corporate environmental investment, and provides theoretical support and an empirical basis for green finance policy to serve China's green economy.

Research on the impact of marine ecological civilization demonstration zone policies on the green development level of China's marine economy: A quasi natural experiment based on coastal cities

In the context of the current ecologicalization of social policies, the National Marine Ecological Civilization Construction Demonstration Zone led by the Chinese government is not only a carrier of marine ecological civilization construction, but also a test field for building a maritime power and promoting the sustainable development of the marine economy and society. This paper considers the establishment of the demonstration zones as a "quasi-natural experiment". Utilizing panel data from 53 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2006 to 2020, a time‑varying difference‑in‑difference model is applied to examine whether this ecological policy can promote the elevation of green development levels of the marine economy, aiming to achieve a harmonious balance between "clear waters and green mountains" and "mountains of gold and silver". The results indicate that the establishment of the demonstration zones significantly enhances the level of green development of the marine economy. Technological innovation and industrial structure are identified as two crucial mechanisms influencing green development of the marine economy, both exhibiting positive mediating effects. The impact of the establishment of the demonstration zones on the promotion of green development of the marine economy is more pronounced in the East China coastal region and the Central-south coastal region compared to the North China and Northeast coastal regions. Additionally, this policy effectively stimulates green development of the marine economy in medium and small cities and non-resource-based cities. Finally, corresponding policy recommendations are proposed from the perspectives of differentiated strategies, industrial structure adjustments, and technological innovation mechanisms.

Sustainable Stewardship of Egypt’s Iconic Heritage Sites: Balancing Heritage Preservation, Visitors’ Well-Being, and Environmental Responsibility

While sustainability is widely recognized as necessary for managing heritage sites, balancing preservation demands with tourism development pressures presents significant challenges. A critical gap in the existing research relates to understanding the recurring issues that undermine the long-term sustainability of prominent archaeological destinations in Egypt and visitor well-being. Specifically, more research is needed to identify the specific sustainability and visitor experience problems that persist across Egypt’s major archaeological sites despite ongoing management efforts. Addressing this knowledge gap could help inform strategies for these destinations to balance conservation priorities with tourism in a more sustainable manner that enhances visitors’ cultural exploration. This study contributes a novel multisite content analysis of over 4423 online reviews from TripAdvisor pertaining to three of Egypt’s premier archaeological destinations—Giza Pyramids, Al Mu’izz Street, and Saqqara. Using established text mining methodologies and algorithms within Voyant Tools, critical challenges were identified through word frequency, concept network, and trend analyses. Recurring issues documented included uncontrolled commercialization undermining the ambiance of historic locales, environmental degradation from inadequate waste management and tourism overflows, and overcrowding compromising visitor comfort, health and safety. Deficiencies in signage, transportation, and other tourist services were also prominent themes. The holistic evaluation of cross-cutting concerns faced at the diverse yet interrelated sites advanced the theoretical knowledge on cooperative governance models and competencies necessary for integrative heritage management. The recommendations center on collaborative stakeholder partnerships to reform commercial practices through licensing and enforcement, upgrading aging infrastructure to support sustainable tourism volumes, and implementing zoning and carrying capacity policies tailored to local community contexts. The proposed solutions aim to safeguard Egypt’s irreplaceable cultural treasures by addressing recurrent problems that undermine environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability if left unresolved, positioning its archaeological wonders for appreciation and study by present and future generations.

Evaluation of the green development effects of heterogeneous agricultural cleaner production place-based policy

Under the dual challenges of food security crisis and environmental costs, promoting agricultural green development (AGD) is an urgent need. Agricultural cleaner production place-based policy (ACPBP) is an important tool for promoting AGD. Based on the entropy value method to measure the AGD, DID is applied in this paper to investigate whether ACPBP can promote AGD. The conclusions of the paper are as follows: (1) The AGD is impacted differently by various types of ACPBP. The policy of replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers for fruits, vegetables and teas (RCFOFFVT) can inhibit AGD, national agricultural green development pioneer zone policy (NAGDPZP) can promote AGD. There is persistence in the effects of both RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP. (2) There are regional heterogeneities in the effects of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP on AGD. The RCFOFFVT has a stronger inhibitory effect on AGD in low economic development counties and major grain-producing counties. The NAGDPZP has a stronger promotional effect on AGD in high economic development counties and non-major grain-producing counties. For low-carbon policy counties, the inhibitory effect of RCFOFFVT is insignificant and the promotional effect of NAGDPZP is weaker. (3) Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation (ASTI) moderates the impact of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP. ASTI would weaken the inhibitory effect of RCFOFFVT on AGD, and would strengthen the role of the NAGDPZP in promoting the AGD. (4) There is a policy mix effect of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP that can jointly promote AGD. The conclusions of the paper indicate that ACPBP are effective approaches to deal with the food crisis and environmental pressures, but in the process of policy implementation, different types of ACPBP need to be implemented based on the realities of the situation.

Effectiveness of the Free Trade Zone Policy as a Solution to Improve the Economy in Batam

This research aims to explore and analyze the regulations and implementation of the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) policy in the context of improving the economy in Batam City, Indonesia. This research uses non-doctrinal or empirical research. The applied problem approach involves three main approaches: a statutory approach, a conceptual approach, and a sociological or empirical approach. The data analysis technique used is qualitative analysis with a deductive data presentation pattern. Researchers will explore the regulations related to FTZs in Batam City and analyze the economic implications of these policies. Research findings show that in 2022 after the publication of PP No. 41 of 2021 has had an impact on improving the economy in Batam, including increasing export and import transactions so that Batam City's trade balance recorded a surplus of USD 2,262.24 million. Increase in the number of industrial and investment areas. It is hoped that the analysis of these findings will provide better insight into the contribution of FTZ policies to economic development at the local level

Digital infrastructure, external supervision, and corporate collaborative green innovation: evidence from big data pilot zone policy

ABSTRACT Based on the data of Chinese listed companies from 2007 to 2020, we empirically study the policy effects, mechanisms, and heterogeneity of big data pilot zone (BDP) policy on corporate collaborative green innovation (CCGI) through a difference-in-difference (DID) model. The results show that BDP policy promotes CCGI and this finding is reliable under a series of robustness tests such as placebo tests and considering policy interactions. External supervision is an important mechanism for BDP policy to promote CCGI. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the policy effect is more pronounced for firms with lower financial constraints, state-owned, and in the central and western regions. Our study provides a new perspective for exploring the green innovation effect of digital infrastructure.

Social Networks in Improving the Learning Achievement of Zoning Pathway Students

Zoning policies create associations of students with different academic abilities and school backgrounds. The focus of this research is on zonal pathway students who have experienced improvements in terms of cognitive aspects and explains the problem of social networks in increasing the grades of zonal pathway students. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach to examine the issues raised. The research subjects were determined using a purposive sampling technique, namely 12th-grade MIPA students. The research results explain that students have similar social network patterns among each other. Increasing student learning outcomes is dominated by peer group interaction within and outside the school environment. In this way, peers trigger or motivate students to improve learning outcomes.

Does the green finance reform and innovation experimental zone policy reduce carbon emission intensity? Evidence from Chinese cities

The reduction of carbon emission intensity cannot be achieved without policy support, of which green financial policy is a major component. The main aim of this study is to discuss the causality between the green finance reform and innovation (GFRI) experimental zone policy and the intensity of carbon emissions in China. Using data from 265 Chinese cities from 2005 to 2021, this study applies a time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model to assess the effect of the GFRI experimental zone policy on the intensity of carbon emissions. The heterogeneity of impacts and the parallel-serial mediation effect of this experimental zone policy are discussed further. The following main findings are obtained. (1) The GFRI experimental zone policy dramatically reduces carbon emission intensity, and this effect is more prominent in cities with large sizes of credit and bond finance. (2) After considering the heterogeneity of government environmental concerns and fiscal pressures, this study reveals that the effect of the GFRI experimental zone policy on reducing carbon emission intensity is weaker in cities with high numbers of environmental protection penalties and fiscal pressures. As the number of environmental penalties and fiscal pressures increases, the effect of the GFRI experimental zone policy on reducing carbon emission intensity decreases; that is, the phenomenon of environmental protection paradoxes and policy conflicts has emerged. (3) Increasing financing for green projects and decreasing the energy intensity of the industry are the primary mediating channels for GFRI experimental zone policy to reduce carbon emission intensity, but the mediating channels for boosting green innovation and promoting energy structure adjustment are not prominent. Moreover, the total effect of the GFRI experimental zone policy on reducing carbon emission intensity is 72% direct and more than 20% indirect. This study concludes that in regions with high fiscal pressure, governments should rely more on green finance to decrease carbon emission intensity. Meanwhile, a green finance policy must be more supportive of zero-carbon energy production and reduce direct environmental penalties to decrease carbon emission intensity in the future.

Impact of China’s free trade zones on the innovation performance of firms: evidence from a quasi-natural experiment

AbstractTo analyse the impact of the free trade zone (FTZ) policy on firms’ innovation performance, this study conducted a quasi-natural experiment involving FTZ promotion, matched information on the establishment of China’s FTZs with patent data for listed companies from 2012 to 2020, and applied identification, estimation and inference processes to identify the effects of FTZs using a time-varying difference-in-differences model. The validity of the findings was confirmed using the parallel trend test, the placebo test and a high-dimensional fixed effects estimation, and the mediating roles of financing constraints and industrial agglomeration on firms’ innovation performance were analysed. To address the endogeneity issue and eliminate regression bias resulting from non-random selection, an instrumental variable regression and propensity score matching were employed. In addition, the policy effects were further explored by analysing the moderating effects of contextual factors and firm heterogeneity. The results showed that the FTZ policy has considerably enhanced the innovation performance of enterprises in the pilot areas, increasing the innovation level of enterprises by alleviating financing constraints and enhancing industrial agglomeration. The level of economic development and the degree of government involvement have also influenced the effect of the FTZ policy on enterprises’ innovation performance. Firm heterogeneity, including factors such as size, ownership, industry affiliation and location, influences the policy effects. In an effort to accelerate the implementation of the policy, an in-depth analysis of the underlying mechanism of the FTZ policy and its effects on enterprise innovation performance was provided, thereby providing a realistic basis for the expansion of the FTZ policy.

Implications of policy changes for coastal landscape patterns and sustainability in Eastern China

ContextThe capacity of a landscape to maintain multifunctionality through ongoing pressures relates to its sustainability and is affected by land use policy and environmental changes. In coastal zones, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the impact of macro-level policy changes on local landscapes and their resulting temporal and spatial responses.ObjectivesThis paper investigates the impact of national and provincial policies on local landscape patterns in China’s Zhejiang coastal zone, encompassing human expansion and ecological restoration in terms of landscape sustainability.MethodsA cluster-based landscape pattern mining is conducted from 1990 to 2020 using Google Earth Engine, which is coupled with a historical policy classification analysis.ResultsCoastal zone policies evolved in three stages: development-oriented (1990–2010), conservation turning (2010–2017), and land-sea coordination (2017-present). Consequently, significant temporal and spatial differences in local landscape changes are observed. Artificial surface expansion aligned with these stages, especially in Hangzhou Bay, Xiangshan Bay, and Sanmen Bay. Expansion responded more swiftly to development-stimulating policies, exhibiting longer-lasting effects. Conservation policies faced delays due to conflicting interests, varied implementation entities, unsynchronized cycles, and a lack of coordinated conservation priorities across terrestrial and marine domains.ConclusionsThis study provides insights into the processes and patterns of human expansion and ecological restoration in coastal zones, offering implications for coastal policies and landscape sustainability. It facilitates an evaluation of the effectiveness of coastal zone policy implementation and suggests differentiated sustainable transformation plans. Moreover, it underscores the need to strengthen coordination between sea and land development for effective coastal zone management and sustainability.

Evaluation of the Implementation Effects and Socio-Economic Impacts of London's Low Emission Zone Policy

Evaluation of the Implementation Effects and Socio-Economic Impacts of London's Low Emission Zone Policy

Study on the Promotion of Green Financial Reform and Innovation on Enterprise Sustainable Development Capability in Low-Carbon Economic Development Based on Statistical Modeling

Abstract Green financial reform and innovation attempts to combine the two core principles of green development and innovation-driven to promote the sustainable development of enterprises. This paper adopts the synthetic control method to establish the experimental and reference groups according to whether the study area is a pilot area for green finance reform. According to the research theory, the indicators affecting the sustainable development of enterprises are selected, and the changes in the indicators of the experimental group before and after the green financial reform and innovation are compared and analyzed. Based on the Mean Difference value and Median Difference value, determine the role of green finance in influencing the sustainable development of enterprises. The parallel trend hypothesis test is carried out to verify the feasibility of the double difference model setting. Construct the mediation model for green lending and enterprise R&D investment to promote sustainable development within enterprises in the context of green finance reform and innovation. The regression results show that the coefficient of the double difference interaction term Treati * Aftert is 0.2653, which passes the significance test at the 1% level. The mediation model, after adding all control variables and three fixed effects, has a double difference term coefficient of 0.0876. After removing irrelevant factors, it further indicates that the implementation of the green financial pilot zone policy can promote the green technological innovation of enterprises to a certain extent and that the green financial pilot zone policy plays a significant role in the promotion of sustainable transformation of enterprises.

Research on the Influence of FDI on China’s Economic Innovation Development

Foreign direct investment (FDI) and outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) are the primary methods through which capital moves internationally. They serve as significant conduits for technological spillover, which is vital for the progress of countries and regions. Through the combined impact of the growth in foreign direct investment and the two-way flow of FDI, China may enhance its access to various production resources, including labor, capital, and energy. Additionally, this enables China to improve the distribution of intangible assets such as knowledge and technology. Consequently, there is an urgent need to establish and implement a strategy that prioritizes innovation-driven development.This study utilizes China’s provincial panel data from 2000-2020 to examine the relationship between the expansion of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the level of innovation. The regional innovation index is used as the dependent variable, while the FDI scale is used as the independent variable. Additionally, a model is employed to test the impact of China’s FDI scale expansion on regional innovation capacity. Simultaneously, this study takes into account the disparities in development between the eastern region and the central and western regions, as well as the influence of the Pilot Free Trade Zone policy. Consequently, the sample is further categorized into the eastern region, central region, and western region for a more detailed analysis. Relevant countermeasures are provided based on the results of the empirical analysis mentioned above.

Can pilot free trade zones policy force the green transformation of enterprises? Evidence from listed companies in China.

In order to reveal the impact of pilot free trade zones policy on green development, we use multi-period difference-in-difference estimation and fixed effect model to explore the impact and impact mechanism of the establishment of free trade zones on the green transformation of enterprises from the micro perspective, based on the panel data of China's A-share listed companies from 2009-2021, The results show that pilot free trade zones policy significantly improves the green transformation of enterprises in the zones. Pilot free trade zones policy affects the corporate green transformation through industrial agglomeration and financial constraints. The green transformation of state-owned enterprises, non-heavy polluting enterprises and high-tech enterprises are significantly impacted by pilot free trade zones policy. Urban innovation and green subsidies play a positive moderating role in the impact of free trade zones on enterprises' green transformation. The research conclusions provide a valuable policy basis for how to promote the green transformation of enterprises under the free trade zones policy.

Digital economy policy and corporate low-carbon innovation: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

We explore whether advances in digitalization of economies further green development by studying the impact of big data policies on low-carbon innovation. Using the low-carbon innovation data of Chinese listed companies from 2011 to 2019, we verify that China's big data comprehensive pilot zones (BDCPZ) policy facilitated corporate low-carbon innovation, especially for state-owned enterprises, low-technology firms, and firms with highly educated CEOs. Findings provide policy insights for the synergistic development of the digital economy and low-carbon innovation.

FEATURES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN SYSTEMS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF GEO-URBAN DEVELOPMENT

This paper is devoted to issues related to the definition of the spatial landscape framework of urban systems development. The introduction includes some aspects of spatial planning and legal provisions related to spatial planning and the various zoning and development policies that apply in the modern nation-state. The author's views on the influence of landscape on spatial development are also presented. Next, an analysis is made of the incorporation of regional science to assess and analyze the spatial development of urban systems and how this differs from a purely urban planning approach to our surroundings. Specific features of landscape and regional science are discussed. Particular aspects of policy implementation related to the analysis and features of urban space research and development are highlighted, and leading authors and researchers are mentioned. The urban focus of spatial policies is then outlined. The conclusion summarises the author's views on the importance of urban processes for contemporary regional development and spatial governance.

Implementation of SDGs 11 and LEZ Policy toward Visitor Satisfaction in Kota Tua Area Jakarta

Sustainable tourism can be achieved by executing the action of SDGS 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) policy is a translation of SDGS 11 implemented in cities worldwide. In 2021, the Special Capital Region Government of Jakarta chose Kota Tua Area Jakarta (KTA) as LEZ pilot project area to try out a form of restriction of motorized vehicles in an area in many ways. However, as LEZ policy was executed, visitor reviews were still unknown. This research aimed to evaluate SDGS 11 and LEZ implementation in KTA and weigh the contribution toward tourist satisfaction. A descriptive quantitative study from November 2022 until January 2023 was taken using primary data from 100 questionnaires used on a purposive sample of tourist aged over 18 who was repeat visitor of KTA. The data analysis used the explanatory method, multi-regression, Pearson Correlation Product Moment, and determinant coefficient analysis. The result showed that the implementation of SDGS 11 in KTA was compatible with the target of SDG Goal 11. LEZ policy has been very well executed. Visitors claimed they were strongly satisfied with tourist spots in KTA. Implementation of SDGS 11 and LEZ policy simultaneously and partially influenced visitor satisfaction. The SDGS 11 and LEZ policy in KTA contributed 23.4 percent to tourist satisfaction, and the remaining 76.6 percent was supported by other factors. It is recommended to pay attention to the safety aspect of KTA, organize parking, and increase the quality of tourist facilities.

Investigating the impacts of E-scooters on a bike-sharing system in Tucson, Arizona with a no ride zone

E-scooters have exploded in popularity across the United States in recent years. Understanding the effects of shared micromobility on society, as well as understanding how one shared micromobility mode can affect other travel modes is valuable for decision making and evaluation. In this study, the effects of introducing E-scooters on a preexisting bike-sharing system were evaluated using real-world data. A no-ride zone policy for E-scooters around the University of Arizona (UA) effectively created policy-based control and treatment groups to observe the effect of E-scooters on the bike-sharing system. A difference-in-differences regression model was used to estimate the change in the number of bike-sharing trips after the E-scooters were introduced for nonmembers and members, finding that after the introduction of E-scooters, member bike-sharing system trips were decreased by 1.5 trips per station per day in the area where E-scooters were introduced. Furthermore, a temporal and spatial analysis was conducted to evaluate the behavioral change exhibited by bike-sharing users after the introduction of E-scooters. E-scooter data was used to compare the similarity between bike-sharing and E-scooter usage patterns, indicating that E-scooters reduced the number of spontaneous trips taken by bike-sharing users. The number of nonmember bike-sharing trips decreased for all locations, indicating that E-scooters became the more popular option for leisure activities. Furthermore, member bike-sharing system users were found to travel less on weekends than nonmembers.

Digital economy drives regional industrial structure upgrading: Empirical evidence from China’s comprehensive big data pilot zone policy

With the development of the digital economy, industrial structure upgrading plays an important role in realizing high-quality development. Exploiting the quasi-natural experimental setting provided by the Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone (BDCPZ) policy in China in 2016, this study evaluates the impacts of the BDCPZ policies on regional industrial structure upgrading using a combination of propensity score matching and difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) with panel data of 30 regions for the period 2008–2021. The results are as follows: (1) BDCPZ policies significantly promote regional industrial structure upgrading. This finding holds after conducting the placebo test and replacing explained variables. (2) BDCPZ policies enhance upgrading through technological innovation and financial deepening. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows that the promotional effect of BDCPZ policies on industrial structure upgrading is more obvious in economically developed regions, megacities, and east-central regions; overall, regions with high industrialization benefit more. These findings have important implications: First, they provide new empirical evidence from the perspective of policy evaluation on how the digital economy affects industrial structure upgrading. Second, this study sheds light on the mechanism underlying this relationship, helping us understand how the digital economy can further affect the development of the industrial structure. Third, the policy effect is heterogenous, providing a scientific basis for the government to formulate differentiated implementation policies for different regions. This can help local industrial transformation and upgrading, and economic development in these regions through the implementation of big data and digital technologies.