IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i19p8430-d1487517.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Towards a Low-Carbon Target: How the High-Speed Rail and Its Expansion Affects Industrial Concentration and Macroeconomic Conditions: Evidence from Chinese Urban Agglomerations

Author

Listed:
  • Minhua Yang

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Rui Yao

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Linkun Ma

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Ang Yang

    (School of Maritime Economics and Management, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China)

Abstract

High-speed rail is a high-standard railway system, which allows trains to operate at high speed. The railway play a crucial role in connecting urban agglomerations, which represents the highest form of spatial organization in the mature stage of urban development, bringing together cities of various natures, types, and scales in specific regions. This paper explores the impacts of high-speed rail and its expansion on industrial concentration and macroeconomic conditions in the period of 2000 to 2019. We use a well-known transportation policy as a natural experiment, utilizing geographic distance data to study the effects of high-speed rail and its expansion on industrial concentration and macroeconomic conditions in urban agglomerations. The results show that high-speed rail increases industrial concentration but leads to a reduction in macroeconomic conditions. Unlike previous studies in this field, we use distance variables to analyze how the expansion of high-speed rail affects macroeconomic conditions and industrial concentration through location advantages. The impacts of high-speed rails vary across urban and non-urban agglomeration cities, resource-based and non-resource-based cities, large and small cities, and eastern, central, and western regions. Our results are robust to the shocks from the global financial crisis, time lags, different distance dummy variables, dependent variables, and endogeneity issues. This study regards the opening up of high-speed rail as both improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions through substituting for urban and aviation transport. Compared to traditional transport methods such as urban and air travel, the efficiency and environmental benefits of high-speed rail make it an important method for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, the expansion of high-speed rail could support both economic development and environmental concerns, and it is playing a crucial role in transportation selection for advancing low-carbon economic goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Minhua Yang & Rui Yao & Linkun Ma & Ang Yang, 2024. "Towards a Low-Carbon Target: How the High-Speed Rail and Its Expansion Affects Industrial Concentration and Macroeconomic Conditions: Evidence from Chinese Urban Agglomerations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:19:p:8430-:d:1487517
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8430/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8430/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Li, Xiaolong & Wu, Zongfa & Zhao, Xingchen, 2020. "Economic effect and its disparity of high speed rail in China: A study of mechanism based on synthesis control method," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 262-274.
    2. Zheng, Longfei & Wu, Shuping, 2024. "Remote high-speed rail stations, urban land supply, and the emergence of new economic activities," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    3. Dave Donaldson, 2018. "Railroads of the Raj: Estimating the Impact of Transportation Infrastructure," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(4-5), pages 899-934, April.
    4. Zeng, Qing-Hua & He, Ling-Yun, 2023. "Study on the synergistic effect of air pollution prevention and carbon emission reduction in the context of "dual carbon": Evidence from China's transport sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    5. Ke, Xiao & Chen, Haiqiang & Hong, Yongmiao & Hsiao, Cheng, 2017. "Do China's high-speed-rail projects promote local economy?—New evidence from a panel data approach," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 203-226.
    6. Nie, Liang & Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2023. "Is high-speed rail heading towards a low-carbon industry? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    7. Yu Qin, 2017. "‘No county left behind?’ The distributional impact of high-speed rail upgrades in China," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(3), pages 489-520.
    8. Nathan Nunn & Nancy Qian, 2014. "US Food Aid and Civil Conflict," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(6), pages 1630-1666, June.
    9. Gabriel M Ahlfeldt & Arne Feddersen, 2018. "From periphery to core: measuring agglomeration effects using high-speed rail," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 355-390.
    10. Masahisa Fujita & Jacques‐François Thisse, 2003. "Does Geographical Agglomeration Foster Economic Growth? And Who Gains and Loses from It?," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 54(2), pages 121-145, June.
    11. Helliwell, John F. & Huang, Haifang, 2008. "How's Your Government? International Evidence Linking Good Government and Well-Being," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(4), pages 595-619, October.
    12. Dan O'Donoghue & Bill Gleave, 2004. "A Note on Methods for Measuring Industrial Agglomeration," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 419-427.
    13. Asep Yayat Nurhidayat & Hera Widyastuti & Sutikno & Dwi Phalita Upahita, 2023. "Research on Passengers’ Preferences and Impact of High-Speed Rail on Air Transport Demand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-26, February.
    14. Jiao, Jingjuan & Wang, Jiaoe & Zhang, Fangni & Jin, Fengjun & Liu, Wei, 2020. "Roles of accessibility, connectivity and spatial interdependence in realizing the economic impact of high-speed rail: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1-15.
    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. Shujie Yao & Jing Fang & Hongbo He, 2020. "Can Time–Space Compression Promote Urban Economic Growth? Evidence from China's High‐speed Rail Projects," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 28(5), pages 90-117, September.
    2. Jin, Mengjie & Shi, Wenming & Liu, Yu & Xu, Xiaoling & Li, Kevin X., 2022. "Heterogeneous impact of high speed railway on income distribution: A case study in China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Ma, Liya & Niu, Dongxiao & Sun, Weizeng, 2021. "Transportation infrastructure and entrepreneurship: Evidence from high-speed railway in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    4. Gao, Yanyan & Zheng, Jianghuai, 2020. "The impact of high-speed rail on innovation: An empirical test of the companion innovation hypothesis of transportation improvement with China’s manufacturing firms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    5. Baek, Jisun & Park, WooRam, 2022. "The impact of improved passenger transport system on manufacturing plant productivity," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    6. Yang, Zhiwei & Li, Can & Jiao, Jingjuan & Liu, Wei & Zhang, Fangni, 2020. "On the joint impact of high-speed rail and megalopolis policy on regional economic growth in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 20-30.
    7. Huang, Yan & Ma, Liang & Cao, Jason, 2023. "Exploring spatial heterogeneity in the high-speed rail impact on air quality," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    8. Di Matteo, Dante & Mariotti, Ilaria & Rossi, Federica, 2023. "Transport infrastructure and economic performance: An evaluation of the Milan-Bologna high-speed rail corridor," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    9. Yahong Liu & Daisheng Tang & Tao Bu & Xinyuan Wang, 2022. "The spatial employment effect of high-speed railway: quasi-natural experimental evidence from China," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 69(2), pages 333-359, October.
    10. Chen, Fanglin & Hao, Xinyue & Chen, Zhongfei, 2021. "Can high-speed rail improve health and alleviate health inequality? Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 266-279.
    11. Koster, Hans & Hayakawa, Kazunobu & Thisse, Jacques-François, 2021. "High-speed Rail and the Spatial Distribution of Economic Activity: Evidence from Japan's Shinkansen," CEPR Discussion Papers 15771, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Xiaoxuan Zhang & John Gibson, 2024. "Local economic effects of connecting to China's high-speed rail network: Evidence from spatial econometric models," Working Papers in Economics 24/03, University of Waikato.
    13. Yanyan Gao & Yongqing Nan & Shunfeng Song, 2022. "High‐speed rail and city tourism: Evidence from Tencent migration big data on two Chinese golden weeks," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 1012-1036, September.
    14. Li, Chunying & Zhang, Jinning & Lyu, Yanwei, 2022. "Does the opening of China railway express promote urban total factor productivity? New evidence based on SDID and SDDD model," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    15. Zheng, Longfei & Long, Fenjie & Chang, Zheng & Ye, Jingsong, 2019. "Ghost town or city of hope? The spatial spillover effects of high-speed railway stations in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 230-241.
    16. Liaoliao Duan & Dongxiao Niu & Weizeng Sun & Siqi Zheng, 2021. "Transportation infrastructure and capital mobility: evidence from China’s high-speed railways," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 67(3), pages 617-648, December.
    17. Firgo, Matthias, 2021. "The causal economic effects of Olympic Games on host regions," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    18. Hans R A Koster & Takatoshi Tabuchi & Jacques-François Thisse, 2022. "To be connected or not to be connected? The role of long-haul economies [Do rural roads create pathways out of poverty? Evidence from India]," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 22(4), pages 711-753.
    19. Okamoto, Chigusa & Sato, Yasuhiro, 2021. "Impacts of high-speed rail construction on land prices in urban agglomerations: Evidence from Kyushu in Japan," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    20. Dong, Lei & Du, Rui & Kahn, Matthew & Ratti, Carlo & Zheng, Siqi, 2021. "“Ghost cities” versus boom towns: Do China's high-speed rail new towns thrive?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).

    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:19:p:8430-:d:1487517. 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.