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The impacts of fiscal decentralization on environmental innovation in China

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  • Kuo Zhou
  • Baicheng Zhou
  • Mengmeng Yu

Abstract

Environmental innovation is the fundamental support for sustainable development. Exploiting Chinese provincial panel data from 2007 to 2017, this study investigates the impacts of fiscal decentralization on environmental innovation. In particular, we discuss the regulating role of government’s environmental protection expenditures relying on the mediator effect model. The empirical analyses show that fiscal decentralization cannot only directly promote environmental innovation, but also indirectly weaken environmental innovation through the environmental protection expenditure of the local government. The overall performance is that fiscal decentralization promotes environmental innovation. It is noteworthy that there is regional heterogeneity in the impact of fiscal decentralization on environmental innovation. The impact in the east is significantly higher than in the central and western regions in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuo Zhou & Baicheng Zhou & Mengmeng Yu, 2020. "The impacts of fiscal decentralization on environmental innovation in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 1690-1710, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:51:y:2020:i:4:p:1690-1710
    DOI: 10.1111/grow.12432
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    2. Xiaosan Zhang & Xiaojie Hu & Fang Wu, 2022. "Fiscal Decentralization, Taxation Efforts and Corporate Green Technology Innovation in China Based on Moderating and Heterogeneity Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-21, November.
    3. Pu, Xiaohong & Zeng, Ming & Zhang, Weike, 2023. "Corporate sustainable development driven by high-quality innovation: Does fiscal decentralization really matter?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 273-289.
    4. Zhang, Zhihe & Hou, Yufei & Zhang, Zesen & Li, Mulin, 2023. "Natural resources, carbon neutrality, and fiscal federalism: Implications for G7 countries amid rising Covid-19 concerns," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    5. Liu, Fengyu & Feng, Jue & Zhai, Ge & Razzaq, Asif, 2022. "Influence of fiscal decentralization and renewable energy investment on ecological sustainability in EU: What is the moderating role of institutional governance?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 1265-1274.
    6. Maxwell Chukwudi Udeagha & Edwin Muchapondwa, 2023. "Environmental sustainability in South Africa: Understanding the criticality of economic policy uncertainty, fiscal decentralization, and green innovation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(3), pages 1638-1651, June.
    7. Yiming Li & Liru Bai, 2024. "Analyzing Green Growth Efficiency in China and Investigating the Spatial Effects of Fiscal Decentralization: Case Study of Prefecture-Level Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-28, April.
    8. Yongming Zhu & Xiaoyu Zhou & Junjie Li & Fan Wang, 2022. "Technological Innovation, Fiscal Decentralization, Green Development Efficiency: Based on Spatial Effect and Moderating Effect," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, April.
    9. Ayoub Zeraibi & Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente & Khurram Shehzad, 2021. "Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypotheses in Chinese Provinces: A Nexus between Regional Government Expenditures and Environmental Quality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-16, September.

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