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Environmental jurisdiction and energy efficiency: Evidence from China's establishment of environmental courts

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  • He, Weimin
  • Wang, Bin

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of environmental jurisdiction on energy efficiencies by exploring the quasi-natural experiment of China's establishment of environmental courts. The results of the staggered DID method show the following: (1) compared with the control group, the establishment of environmental courts results in a significant reduction of about 0.8% in local energy intensity, which is the ratio of energy consumption to GDP, and (2) three channels explain the effects, namely, improving the trial efficiency of energy cases, stimulating local bureaucrats' performance of enforcing environment and energy policies, and promoting innovations of energy-saving technologies. The results of Goodman-Bacon decompositions and a set of robust event study show that the staggered DID method is robust.

Suggested Citation

  • He, Weimin & Wang, Bin, 2024. "Environmental jurisdiction and energy efficiency: Evidence from China's establishment of environmental courts," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:131:y:2024:i:c:s0140988324000665
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107358
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental jurisdiction; Energy efficiency; Environmental courts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • R38 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Government Policy

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