IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i13p5331-d1420393.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Environmental Regulation Affects Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction Synergies—An Empirical Analysis Based on Chinese Provincial Data

Author

Listed:
  • Wei Shi

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Weijuan Wang

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Wenwen Tang

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Fuwei Qiao

    (College of Economic, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Guowei Zhang

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Runzhu Pei

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Luyao Zhang

    (College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

Abstract

Faced with the dual challenges of environmental pollution and climate change, it is of great significance to study the impact of relevant environmental regulations on the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction and their influence mechanisms. Based on a theoretical analysis using the panel data of 30 provinces in China, a spatial econometric model and an intermediary effect model are used to investigate the impact of environmental regulations on the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction and the transmission mechanisms potentially responsible for these effects. The empirical results show the following: (1) The three kinds of environmental regulation effectively facilitate the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, taking the following order when ranked according to the intensity of their effects: command-type environmental regulation (ER1) > market-based environmental regulation (ER2) > voluntary environmental regulation (ER3). (2) Environmental regulation effectively promotes the synergistic effect of pollution and carbon reduction through the three transmission mechanisms of stimulating technological innovation (TI), industrial structure upgrading (ISU), and restricting foreign direct investment (FDI), which take the following effectiveness order: TI > FDI > ISU. Based on the results of the study, policy suggestions to facilitate pollution reduction and carbon synergies are proposed to help China’s green and low-carbon development.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Shi & Weijuan Wang & Wenwen Tang & Fuwei Qiao & Guowei Zhang & Runzhu Pei & Luyao Zhang, 2024. "How Environmental Regulation Affects Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction Synergies—An Empirical Analysis Based on Chinese Provincial Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-24, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5331-:d:1420393
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5331/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5331/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qian Zhang & Decai Tang & Brandon J. Bethel, 2021. "Impact of Urbanization on the Environmental Regulation Efficiency in the Yangtze River Basin Based on the Empirical Analysis of Spatial Econometrics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-20, August.
    2. Huilin Yang & Rui Yao & Peng Sun & Chenhao Ge & Zice Ma & Yaojin Bian & Ruilin Liu, 2023. "Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Forces of PM 2.5 in Urban Agglomerations in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Ronald Shadbegian & Wayne Gray, 2006. "Assessing multi-dimensional performance: environmental and economic outcomes," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 213-234, December.
    4. Kuersteiner, Guido M., 2019. "Invariance principles for dependent processes indexed by Besov classes with an application to a Hausman test for linearity," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 211(1), pages 243-261.
    5. Hu, Jun & Wu, Huiying & Ying, Sammy Xiaoyan, 2022. "Environmental regulation, market forces, and corporate environmental responsibility: Evidence from the implementation of cleaner production standards in China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 606-622.
    6. Bao, Qun & Shao, Min & Yang, Dali, 2021. "Environmental regulation, local legislation and pollution control in China," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(4), pages 321-339, August.
    7. Yanyun Li & Faqin Lin & Wenxiao Wang, 2022. "Environmental regulation and inward foreign direct investment: Evidence from the eleventh Five‐Year Plan in China," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3), pages 684-707, July.
    8. Weijiang Liu & Mingze Du & Yuxin Bai, 2021. "Mechanisms of Environmental Regulation’s Impact on Green Technological Progress—Evidence from China’s Manufacturing Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    9. Johan Graafland & Lans Bovenberg, 2020. "Government regulation, business leaders’ motivations and environmental performance of SMEs," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(8), pages 1335-1355, July.
    10. Kelley Pace, R. & LeSage, James P., 2008. "A spatial Hausman test," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 101(3), pages 282-284, December.
    11. Yang Li & Lei Zhang, 2023. "Collaborative Governance and Environmental Regulation Measures for Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction in the Yangtze River Basin under the “Double Carbon” Goal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Yang Li & Jingjing Pei & Fang Zhang, 2023. "Comprehensive Ecological Planning and Evaluation of Towns from the Perspective of Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Yang Li & Lei Zhang, 2023. "Collaborative Governance and Environmental Regulation Measures for Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction in the Yangtze River Basin under the “Double Carbon” Goal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Martin, Ralf & Muûls, Mirabelle & de Preux, Laure B. & Wagner, Ulrich J., 2012. "Anatomy of a paradox: Management practices, organizational structure and energy efficiency," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 208-223.
    4. Chuan Tian & Guohui Feng & Huanyu Li, 2023. "Empirical Study on the Impact of Urbanization and Carbon Emissions under the Dual-Carbon Framework Based on Coupling and Coordination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Anthony Goerzen & Christian Geisler Asmussen & Bo Bernhard Nielsen, 2024. "Global cities, the liability of foreignness, and theory on place and space in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(1), pages 10-27, February.
    6. Fraas, Art & Egorenkov, Alex, 2015. "A Retrospective Study of EPA’s Air Toxics Program under the Revised Section 112 Requirements of the Clean Air Act," RFF Working Paper Series dp-15-23, Resources for the Future.
    7. Phu Nguyen-Van & Tuyen Tiet & Quoc Tran-Nam, 2024. "Synergy in environmental compliance, innovation and export on SMEs' growth," Working Papers hal-04441426, HAL.
    8. Yuan, Kaihua & Cui, Jingyuan & Zhang, Haipeng & Gao, Xiang, 2023. "Do cleaner production standards upgrade the global value chain position of manufacturing enterprises? Empirical evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    9. Yoshifumi Konishi & Nori Tarui, 2015. "Emissions Trading, Firm Heterogeneity, and Intra-industry Reallocations in the Long Run," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(1), pages 1-42.
    10. Xu, Le & Yang, Lili & Li, Ding & Shao, Shuai, 2023. "Asymmetric effects of heterogeneous environmental standards on green technology innovation: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    11. Juan Wang & Xin Wan & Ruide Tu, 2022. "Game Analysis of the Evolution of Local Government’s River Chief System Implementation Strategy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Ran Gu & Zenghua He, 2023. "Can Environmental Regulation Improve Labor Allocation Efficiency? Evidence from China’s New Environmental Protection Law," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, March.
    13. Weiming Li & Zhaoyang Cai & Shixiong Cao, 2021. "What has caused regional income inequality in China? Effects of 10 socioeconomic factors on per capita income," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(9), pages 13403-13417, September.
    14. Leonardo Becchetti & Giovanni Trovato, 2011. "Corporate social responsibility and firm efficiency: a latent class stochastic frontier analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 231-246, December.
    15. Yuan, Huaxi & Zou, Longhui & Feng, Yidai, 2023. "How to achieve emission reduction without hindering economic growth? The role of judicial quality," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    16. Zhao, Jingsong & Zhang, Chen & Wu, Yong & Zhu, Jing & Ji, Yuanpu & Sun, Jiaojiao, 2024. "The influence mechanism of multi-government environmental regulation synergy on corporate environmental responsibility," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 1296-1319.
    17. Liu, Ying & Feng, Chao, 2023. "Promoting renewable energy through national energy legislation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    18. Ren, Yangqiu & Hu, Guoliu & Wan, Qing, 2024. "Environmental Protection tax and diversified transition of heavily polluting enterprises: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1570-1592.
    19. Jin, Youliang & Wang, Shujuan & Cheng, Xu & Zeng, Huixiang, 2024. "Can environmental tax reform curb corporate environmental violations? A quasi-natural experiment based on China's “environmental fees to taxes”," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    20. Farooq, Umar & Wen, Jun & Tabash, Mosab I. & Fadoul, Modawi, 2024. "Environmental regulations and capital investment: Does green innovation allow to grow?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 878-893.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5331-:d:1420393. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.