IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i16p6712-d1450610.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Environmental Protection Tax Reform in China: A Catalyst or a Barrier to Total Factor Productivity? An Analysis through a Quasi-Natural Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Jingjing Wang

    (School of Law and Business, Sanjiang University, Nanjing 210012, China
    Chinese Graduate School, Panyapiwat Institute of Management, Bangkok 11120, Thailand)

  • Yuhan Pan

    (School of Management Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China)

  • Decai Tang

    (School of Management Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China)

Abstract

China’s 2018 environmental protection tax (EPT) reform was introduced in response to increasing concerns about environmental degradation. It aimed to use fiscal policy to enhance environmental governance while fostering economic productivity. This study employs a difference-in-differences approach to analyze panel data from publicly listed companies between 2009 and 2019. It examines the reform’s influence on total factor productivity (TFP) in pollution-intensive industries, addressing both environmental and economic objectives. The results reveal that the tax reform significantly enhances TFP, acting as a robust catalyst for economic growth rather than a barrier. This effect is particularly strong in state-owned enterprises and those with less-severe financing constraints. Mechanism analysis indicates that the reform boosts TFP through the promotion of green innovations and alleviation of financing constraints. These findings provide empirical evidence at the micro-level of the reform’s efficacy in promoting sustainable business practices. The study offers insights for future environmental tax policies in China and underscores the necessity of aligning environmental and economic strategies to achieve sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Jingjing Wang & Yuhan Pan & Decai Tang, 2024. "Environmental Protection Tax Reform in China: A Catalyst or a Barrier to Total Factor Productivity? An Analysis through a Quasi-Natural Experiment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-20, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:16:p:6712-:d:1450610
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/6712/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/6712/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:bla:jfinan:v:43:y:1988:i:1:p:1-19 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Min Hong & Zhenghui Li & Benjamin Drakeford, 2021. "Do the Green Credit Guidelines Affect Corporate Green Technology Innovation? Empirical Research from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Olley, G Steven & Pakes, Ariel, 1996. "The Dynamics of Productivity in the Telecommunications Equipment Industry," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(6), pages 1263-1297, November.
    4. Yong Fang & Zhenquan Shao, 2022. "Whether Green Finance Can Effectively Moderate the Green Technology Innovation Effect of Heterogeneous Environmental Regulation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Miao, Cheng-lin & Duan, Meng-meng & Zuo, Yang & Wu, Xin-yu, 2021. "Spatial heterogeneity and evolution trend of regional green innovation efficiency--an empirical study based on panel data of industrial enterprises in China's provinces," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    6. Fang Cai, 2021. "From the Demographic Dividend to the Reform Dividend," Springer Books, in: Understanding China's Economy, chapter 0, pages 233-252, Springer.
    7. Carlson, Anna & Palmer, Charles, 2016. "A qualitative meta-synthesis of the benefits of eco-labeling in developing countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 129-145.
    8. Aiping Chen & Huiying Chen, 2021. "Decomposition Analysis of Green Technology Innovation from Green Patents in China," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2021, pages 1-11, May.
    9. Barbera, Anthony J. & McConnell, Virginia D., 1990. "The impact of environmental regulations on industry productivity: Direct and indirect effects," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 50-65, January.
    10. Xubin Lei & Shusheng Wu, 2019. "Improvement of Different Types of Environmental Regulations on Total Factor Productivity: A Threshold Effect Analysis," Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, Hindawi, vol. 2019, pages 1-12, December.
    11. Hongshan Ai & Shenglan Hu & Ke Li & Shuai Shao, 2020. "Environmental regulation, total factor productivity, and enterprise duration: Evidence from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2284-2296, September.
    12. Kartick Gupta, 2018. "Environmental Sustainability and Implied Cost of Equity: International Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 343-365, January.
    13. Tang Li & Pingtian Wang & Xingyan Liu & Hong Cheng, 2017. "Quality-oriented growth: a new trend for Chinese firms," China Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 34-46, January.
    14. Steven N. Kaplan & Luigi Zingales, 1997. "Do Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivities Provide Useful Measures of Financing Constraints?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(1), pages 169-215.
    15. Yan ZHENG & Guiyang ZHUANG, 2021. "Systemic Governance of Mountains, Rivers, Forests, Farmlands, Lakes and Grasslands: Theoretical Framework and Approaches," Chinese Journal of Urban and Environmental Studies (CJUES), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 9(04), pages 1-21, December.
    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. Guo, Shu & Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2023. "Green credit policy and total factor productivity: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    2. He, Yu & Zhu, Xiaobo & Zheng, Huan, 2022. "The influence of environmental protection tax law on total factor productivity: Evidence from listed firms in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    3. Liu, Shasha & Yin, Shanshan & Yin, Chuan & Sheng, Yan, 2021. "Does the price of natural resources affect firms’ total factor productivity? Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 37-50.
    4. Yuan, Li & Rao, Siqi & Yang, Shenggang & Dai, Pengyi, 2023. "Does equity market openness increase productivity? the dual effects of Shanghai-Hong Kong stock Connect program in China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    5. Sai Ding & Alessandra Guariglia & John Knight & Junhong Yang, 2021. "Negative Investment in China: Financing Constraints and Restructuring versus Growth," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69(4), pages 1411-1449.
    6. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Fuhao & Lou, Runchi & Wang, Keying, 2023. "How does green finance drive the decarbonization of the economy? Empirical evidence from China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 671-684.
    7. Sheng, Xin & Guo, Songlin & Chang, Xiaochen, 2022. "Managerial myopia and firm productivity: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    8. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Roberto Ganau & Kristina Maslauskaite & Monica Brezzi, 2021. "Credit constraints, labor productivity, and the role of regional institutions: Evidence from manufacturing firms in Europe," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(2), pages 299-328, March.
    9. Themann, Michael & Koch, Nicolas, 2021. "Catching up and falling behind: Cross-country evidence on the impact of the EU ETS on firm productivity," Ruhr Economic Papers 904, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    10. Tan, Jianhua & Hua, Min & Chan, Kam C., 2024. "Do anticipated government environmental audits improve firm productivity? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    11. Julia Fonseca & Bernardus Van Doornik, 2020. "Financial Development and Labor Markets: evidence from Brazil," Working Papers Series 532, Central Bank of Brazil, Research Department.
    12. Stelios Giannoulakis, 2021. "Uncertainty, firm entry, and investment dynamics," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 68(5), pages 623-642, November.
    13. Argente, David & Lee, Munseob & Moreira, Sara, 2018. "Innovation and product reallocation in the great recession," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 1-20.
    14. Bettina Peters & Mark J. Roberts & Van Anh Vuong, 2017. "Dynamic R&D choice and the impact of the firm's financial strength," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1-2), pages 134-149, February.
    15. Sangeeta Bansal & Massimo Filippini & Suchita Srinivasan, 2023. "How Regulation Might Fail to Reduce Energy Consumption While Still Stimulating Total Factor Productivity Growth," CER-ETH Economics working paper series 23/379, CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research (CER-ETH) at ETH Zurich.
    16. Lingui Qin & Yan Zhang & Yige Wang & Xinning Pan & Zhe Xu, 2024. "Research on the Impact of Digital Green Finance on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-23, July.
    17. Yang, Chih-Hai & Tseng, Yu-Hsuan & Chen, Chiang-Ping, 2012. "Environmental regulations, induced R&D, and productivity: Evidence from Taiwan's manufacturing industries," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 514-532.
    18. Eck, Katharina & Engemann, Martina & Schnitzer, Monika, 2012. "How Trade Credits Foster International Trade," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 379, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    19. Suo, Xuekun & Zhang, Longting & Guo, Rong & Lin, Han & Yu, Mingchuan & Du, Xiuhong, 2024. "The inverted U-shaped association between digital economy and corporate total factor productivity: A knowledge-based perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    20. Bennett, Benjamin & Stulz, René & Wang, Zexi, 2020. "Does the stock market make firms more productive?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(2), pages 281-306.

    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:16:p:6712-:d:1450610. 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.