IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jcecon/v42y2014i4p1021-1032.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is economic rebalancing toward consumption “greener”? Evidence from visibility in China, 1984–2006

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Zhigang
  • Yuan, Jia
  • Song, Frank
  • Wei, Shangjin

Abstract

The Chinese government has adopted a rebalancing strategy since 2011, shifting from an investment- to consumption-oriented growth model. An aim of this reform is for a “greener” development mode, but relevant empirical evidence is slim. In this study, we propose an innovative methodology to shed light on the environmental externalities of economic rebalancing. First, we use air visibility across China to reflect air quality during 1984–2006. Second, with the daily visibility data, we propose a weekend-effect regression model to difference out city-specific unobserved heterogeneity. Third, we approximate local consumption intensity with the portion of the residential electricity usage in the total electricity usage. To our surprise, the estimates suggest that the pollution intensity of consumption activities has not only been significant, but also exceeded that of production since the mid-1990s. Hence, rebalancing toward consumption is not necessarily more environmentally friendly according to the recent development experience of China.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Zhigang & Yuan, Jia & Song, Frank & Wei, Shangjin, 2014. "Is economic rebalancing toward consumption “greener”? Evidence from visibility in China, 1984–2006," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 1021-1032.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:42:y:2014:i:4:p:1021-1032
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2014.06.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147596714000614
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jce.2014.06.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lucas W. Davis, 2008. "The Effect of Driving Restrictions on Air Quality in Mexico City," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 116(1), pages 38-81, February.
    2. Kayalica M. Ozgur & Kayalica Olgay, 2005. "Transboundary Pollution From Consumption In A Reciprocal Dumping Model," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 5(2), pages 1-16, June.
    3. Charles Perrings & Alberto Ansuategi, 2000. "Sustainability, growth and development," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 27(1/2), pages 19-54, January.
    4. Brian R. Copeland & M. Scott Taylor, 2004. "Trade, Growth, and the Environment," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 42(1), pages 7-71, March.
    5. Michael S. Michael & Sajal Lahiri & Panos Hatzipanayotou, 2008. "Integrated Reforms of Indirect Taxes in the Presence of Pollution," CESifo Working Paper Series 2276, CESifo.
    6. Rawski, Thomas G., 2001. "What is happening to China's GDP statistics?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 347-354.
    7. He, Jie, 2005. "Estimating the economic cost of China's new desulfur policy during her gradual accession to WTO: The case of industrial SO2 emission," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 364-402.
    8. Douglas Almond & Yuyu Chen & Michael Greenstone & Hongbin Li, 2009. "Winter Heating or Clean Air? Unintended Impacts of China's Huai River Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 184-190, May.
    9. Brian R. Copeland & M. Scott Taylor, 1995. "Trade and the Environment: A Partial Synthesis," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 77(3), pages 765-771.
    10. Shen, Junyi, 2006. "A simultaneous estimation of Environmental Kuznets Curve: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 383-394.
    11. John Beghin & David Roland-Holst & Dominique van der Mensbrugghe, 1997. "Trade and Pollution Linkages: Piecemeal Reform and Optimal Intervention," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 30(2), pages 442-455, May.
    12. De GROOT, HENRI L.F. & WITHAGEN, CEES A. & MINLIANG, ZHOU, 2004. "Dynamics of China's regional development and pollution: an investigation into the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(4), pages 507-537, August.
    13. Yongguan, Chang & Seip, Hans Martin & Vennemo, Haakon, 2001. "The environmental cost of water pollution in Chongqing, China," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(3), pages 313-333, July.
    14. Chaoyang Peng & Xiaodong Wu & Gordon Liu & Todd Johnson & Jitendra Shah & Sarath Guttikunda, 2002. "Urban Air Quality and Health in China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 39(12), pages 2283-2299, November.
    15. Mead, Robert W. & Brajer, Victor, 2005. "Protecting China's children: valuing the health impacts of reduced air pollution in Chinese cities," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(6), pages 745-768, December.
    16. Munksgaard, Jesper & Pedersen, Klaus Alsted & Wien, Mette, 2000. "Impact of household consumption on CO2 emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 423-440, August.
    17. Alwyn Young, 2003. "Gold into Base Metals: Productivity Growth in the People's Republic of China during the Reform Period," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(6), pages 1220-1261, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Li, Zhigang & Xu, Nan & Yuan, Jia, 2015. "New evidence on trade-environment linkage via air visibility," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 72-74.
    2. Zhou, Peng & Song, Frank M. & Huang, Xiaoqi, 2023. "Environmental regulations and firms' green innovations: Transforming pressure into incentives," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    3. Li, Shaoshuai & Li, Zhigang & Ni, Jinlan & Yuan, Jia, 2023. "Growing pains for others: Using holidays to identify the pollution spillover between China and South Korea," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    4. Biggeri, Mario & Bortolotti, Luca & Saccone, Donatella & Tassinari, Mattia, 2023. "Policy and political challenges for a better world: The United States and China pathways towards the 2030 Agenda," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fernández-Amador, Octavio & Francois, Joseph F. & Oberdabernig, Doris A. & Tomberger, Patrick, 2017. "Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Economic Growth: An Assessment Based on Production and Consumption Emission Inventories," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 269-279.
    2. Lee, Sanghoon & Oh, Dae-Won, 2015. "Economic growth and the environment in China: Empirical evidence using prefecture level data," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 73-85.
    3. Haider Mahmood & Maham Furqan & Muhammad Shahid Hassan & Soumen Rej, 2023. "The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) Hypothesis in China: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-32, April.
    4. Michael S. Michael & Sajal Lahiri & Panos Hatzipanayotou, 2008. "Integrated Reforms of Indirect Taxes in the Presence of Pollution," CESifo Working Paper Series 2276, CESifo.
    5. Li, Pei & Lu, Yi & Wang, Jin, 2020. "The effects of fuel standards on air pollution: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    6. Vennemo, Haakon & Aunan, Kristin & He, Jianwu & Hu, Tao & Li, Shantong & Rypd3al, Kristin, 2008. "Environmental impacts of China's WTO-accession," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(4), pages 893-911, February.
    7. Richard T. Carson, 2010. "The Environmental Kuznets Curve: Seeking Empirical Regularity and Theoretical Structure," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 4(1), pages 3-23, Winter.
    8. Sinclair, Tara M., 2019. "Characteristics and implications of Chinese macroeconomic data revisions," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1108-1117.
    9. Octavio Fernández-Amador & Joseph F. Francois & Doris A. Oberdabernig & Patrick Tomberger, 2020. "Economic growth, sectoral structures, and environmental methane footprints," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(13), pages 1460-1475, March.
    10. Song, Ma-Lin & Zhang, Wei & Wang, Shu-Hong, 2013. "Inflection point of environmental Kuznets curve in Mainland China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 14-20.
    11. Larivière, Jean-Michel & He, Jie, 2012. "L’impact de la taille des firmes industrielles sur la courbe de Kuznets environnementale : le cas des émissions de SO2 en Chine," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 88(1), pages 5-36, mars.
    12. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Ozturk, Ilhan & Afza, Talat & Ali, Amjad, 2013. "Revisiting the environmental Kuznets curve in a global economy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 494-502.
    13. Michael S. Michael & Sajal Lahiri & Panos Hatzipanayotou, 2015. "Piecemeal Reform of Domestic Indirect Taxes toward Uniformity in the Presence of Pollution: with and without a Revenue Constraint," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 17(2), pages 174-195, April.
    14. Jayanthakumaran, Kankesu & Liu, Ying, 2012. "Openness and the Environmental Kuznets Curve: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 566-576.
    15. Michael Michael & Panos Hatzipanayotou, 2013. "Pollution and reforms of domestic and trade taxes towards uniformity," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 20(5), pages 753-768, October.
    16. Kerola, Eeva, 2018. "In search of fluctuations : Another look at China’s incredibly stable GDP growth," BOFIT Discussion Papers 23/2018, Bank of Finland, Institute for Economies in Transition.
    17. John Knight & Sai Ding, 2008. "Why has China Grown so Fast? The Role of Structural Change," Economics Series Working Papers 415, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    18. Shuaizhang Feng & Yingyao Hu & Robert Moffitt, 2015. "Long Run Trends in Unemployment and Labor Force Participation in China," NBER Working Papers 21460, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Jeffrey A. Frankel & Andrew K. Rose, 2005. "Is Trade Good or Bad for the Environment? Sorting Out the Causality," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(1), pages 85-91, February.
    20. Brajer, Victor & Mead, Robert W. & Xiao, Feng, 2008. "Health benefits of tunneling through the Chinese environmental Kuznets curve (EKC)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 674-686, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rebalancing; Environment; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:42:y:2014:i:4:p:1021-1032. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/622864 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.