IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i22p10128-d1525188.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can the Carbon Trading Policy Enhance Resource Allocation Efficiency?—An Analysis of the Synergistic Effect of Market Mechanism and Government Intervention

Author

Listed:
  • Yunqing Zhao

    (School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Debao Dai

    (School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Wei Shao

    (Scientific Research Management Department, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Liang Ye

    (Office of Admissions and Career Services, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

Abstract

The carbon trading pilot policy is a key policy to achieve low-carbon development through market mechanism. Studying the impact of carbon trading on resource allocation efficiency can provide an important empirical basis to achieve energy saving and green development. This paper delves into the influence of carbon trading on resource allocation efficiency by utilizing the multiperiod difference-in-differences based on comprehensive provincial data spanning from 2011 to 2020 in China. The findings show that carbon trading can promote the optimization of capital allocation efficiency but negatively affect the labor allocation efficiency in the pilot areas. This conclusion still holds through various robustness tests. Further research on regional heterogeneity shows that there are significant differences in the impact of resource allocation efficiency and labor allocation efficiency between eastern and western regions. Crucially, the limited scope of the carbon market’s direct influence on labor allocation efficiency is highlighted, demonstrating the need for government intervention to amplify its optimization effects based on the synergistic effect. It provides vital empirical insights for China’s ongoing pursuit of energy-saving and green development strategies, emphasizing the synergies between market mechanisms and government regulation in fostering sustainable economic transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunqing Zhao & Debao Dai & Wei Shao & Liang Ye, 2024. "Can the Carbon Trading Policy Enhance Resource Allocation Efficiency?—An Analysis of the Synergistic Effect of Market Mechanism and Government Intervention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-24, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:22:p:10128-:d:1525188
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/22/10128/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/22/10128/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Raj Chetty & Adam Looney & Kory Kroft, 2009. "Salience and Taxation: Theory and Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1145-1177, September.
    2. Hu, Hui & Qi, Shaozhou & Chen, Yuanzhi, 2023. "Using green technology for a better tomorrow: How enterprises and government utilize the carbon trading system and incentive policies," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Zhou, Fengxiu & Wang, Xiaoyu, 2022. "The carbon emissions trading scheme and green technology innovation in China: A new structural economics perspective," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 365-381.
    4. Chepeliev, Maksym & Osorio-Rodarte, Israel & van der Mensbrugghe, Dominique, 2021. "Distributional impacts of carbon pricing policies under the Paris Agreement: Inter and intra-regional perspectives," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    5. Chang-Tai Hsieh & Peter J. Klenow, 2009. "Misallocation and Manufacturing TFP in China and India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(4), pages 1403-1448.
    6. Hongxin Yu & Yaohui Jiang & Zhaowen Zhang & Wen-Long Shang & Chunjia Han & Yuanjun Zhao, 2022. "The impact of carbon emission trading policy on firms’ green innovation in China," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, December.
    7. Wei Qian & Huan Liu & Fanghui Pan, 2022. "Digital Economy, Industry Heterogeneity, and Service Industry Resource Allocation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-18, June.
    8. Xiong, Ling & Shen, Bo & Qi, Shaozhou & Price, Lynn & Ye, Bin, 2017. "The allowance mechanism of China’s carbon trading pilots: A comparative analysis with schemes in EU and California," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1849-1859.
    9. Teixidó, Jordi & Verde, Stefano F. & Nicolli, Francesco, 2019. "The impact of the EU Emissions Trading System on low-carbon technological change: The empirical evidence," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Giovanni Marin & Marianna Marino & Claudia Pellegrin, 2018. "The Impact of the European Emission Trading Scheme on Multiple Measures of Economic Performance," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 71(2), pages 551-582, October.
    11. Jiang, Jingjing & Xie, Dejun & Ye, Bin & Shen, Bo & Chen, Zhanming, 2016. "Research on China’s cap-and-trade carbon emission trading scheme: Overview and outlook," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 902-917.
    12. Marianne Bertrand & Esther Duflo & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "How Much Should We Trust Differences-In-Differences Estimates?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(1), pages 249-275.
    13. Zhang, Wei & Li, Guoxiang & Guo, Fanyong, 2022. "Does carbon emissions trading promote green technology innovation in China?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    14. Jia, Zhijie & Lin, Boqiang, 2020. "Rethinking the choice of carbon tax and carbon trading in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    15. Pietzcker, Robert C. & Osorio, Sebastian & Rodrigues, Renato, 2021. "Tightening EU ETS targets in line with the European Green Deal: Impacts on the decarbonization of the EU power sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    16. Peishu Chen & Yu He & Kai Yue & Guochang Fang, 2023. "Can Carbon Trading Promote Low-Carbon Transformation of High Energy Consumption Enterprises?—The Case of China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-18, April.
    17. Easwaran Narassimhan & Kelly S. Gallagher & Stefan Koester & Julio Rivera Alejo, 2018. "Carbon pricing in practice: a review of existing emissions trading systems," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(8), pages 967-991, September.
    18. Pietzcker, Robert & Osorio, Sebastian & Rodrigues, Renato, 2021. "Tightening EU ETS targets in line with the European Green Deal: Impacts on the decarbonization of the EU power sector," EconStor Preprints 222579, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, revised 2021.
    19. Wu, Jianxian & Nie, Xin & Wang, Han, 2023. "Curse to blessing: The carbon emissions trading system and resource-based cities' carbon mitigation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    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. Wei Shao & Debao Dai & Yunqing Zhao & Liang Ye, 2024. "The Effect of Carbon Trading Pilot Policy on Resource Allocation Efficiency: A Multiple Mediating Effect Model of Development, Innovation, and Investment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Weng, Zhixiong & Liu, Tingting & Wu, Yufeng & Cheng, Cuiyun, 2022. "Air quality improvement effect and future contributions of carbon trading pilot programs in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    3. Xiao Yang & Wen Jia & Kedan Wang & Geng Peng, 2024. "Does the National Carbon Emissions Trading Market Promote Corporate Environmental Protection Investment? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-22, January.
    4. Wang, Bo & Gong, Siyu & Yang, Yang, 2024. "Unveiling the relation between digital technology and low-carbon innovation: Carbon emission trading policy as an antecedent," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    5. Ying Zhang & Yingli Huang, 2023. "Killing Two Birds with One Stone or Missing One of Them? The Synergistic Governance Effect of China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme on Pollution Control and Carbon Emission Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    6. Asatryan, Zareh & Baskaran, Thushyanthan & Birkholz, Carlo & Gomtsyan, David, 2021. "Favoritism and firms: Micro evidence and macro implications," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-031, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    7. 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).
    8. Che, Shuai & Wang, Jun & Chen, Honghang, 2023. "Can China's decentralized energy governance reduce carbon emissions? Evidence from new energy demonstration cities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    9. Shigong Lv & Yanying Lv & Da Gao & Lulu Liu, 2023. "The Path to Green Development: The Impact of a Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme on Enterprises’ Environmental Protection Investments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-15, August.
    10. Haywood, Luke & Jakob, Michael, 2023. "The role of the emissions trading scheme 2 in the policy mix to decarbonize road transport in the European Union," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 99-108.
    11. Dinh Hoa Nguyen & Andrew Chapman & Takeshi Tsuji, 2023. "Assessing the Optimal Contributions of Renewables and Carbon Capture and Storage toward Carbon Neutrality by 2050," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-22, September.
    12. Giacomo Di Foggia & Massimo Beccarello & Ugo Arrigo, 2023. "Assessment of the European Emissions Trading System’s Impact on Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    13. Sheng Xu & Wenran Pan & Demei Wen, 2023. "Do Carbon Emission Trading Schemes Promote the Green Transition of Enterprises? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-28, April.
    14. Yadu Zhang & Yiteng Zhang & Zuoren Sun, 2023. "The Impact of Carbon Emission Trading Policy on Enterprise ESG Performance: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-27, May.
    15. Guang Chen & Akira Hibiki, 2022. "Can the Carbon Emission Trading Scheme Influence Industrial Green Production in China?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, November.
    16. Liu, Yu & Tan, Xiu-Jie & Yu, Yang & Qi, Shao-Zhou, 2017. "Assessment of impacts of Hubei Pilot emission trading schemes in China – A CGE-analysis using TermCO2 model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 762-769.
    17. Beestermöller, Matthias, 2017. "Striking Evidence? Demand Persistence for Inter-City Buses from German Railway Strikes," Discussion Papers in Economics 31768, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    18. Haisken-DeNew, John & Hasan, Syed & Jha, Nikhil & Sinning, Mathias, 2018. "Unawareness and selective disclosure: The effect of school quality information on property prices," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 449-464.
    19. Huasheng Song & Chao Zhang, 2024. "Land regulations, innovation and productivity: Firm‐level evidence from China," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 1387-1426, April.
    20. Zhong, Meirui & Zhang, Rui & Ren, Xiaohang, 2023. "The time-varying effects of liquidity and market efficiency of the European Union carbon market: Evidence from the TVP-SVAR-SV approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(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:22:p:10128-:d:1525188. 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.