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Can informal environmental regulation promote industrial structure upgrading? Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Liang Chen
  • Wanli Li
  • Kaibin Yuan
  • Xiaoqian Zhang

Abstract

Using Chinese provincial data from 2000 to 2016, this paper investigates the effect of informal environmental regulation (IER) on industrial structure upgrading. We find that IER in the form of environmental media coverage acts as an external binding force and spurs the upgrading of industrial structure through increasing the dual pressure of local government supervision and public opinion. A mechanism test shows that IER can boost regional innovation, thereby promoting the upgrading of industrial structure. Moreover, the positive association between IER and industrial structure upgrading is more prominent in regions with stronger environmental law enforcement and higher public environmental awareness. We also document that IER has a significant informational spatial-diffusion effect and has characteristics of a double-threshold effect. Overall, our results highlight that it is necessary to establish a system for disclosing environmental information and to improve the mechanism whereby independent third parties such as the media participate in environmental governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Liang Chen & Wanli Li & Kaibin Yuan & Xiaoqian Zhang, 2022. "Can informal environmental regulation promote industrial structure upgrading? Evidence from China," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(19), pages 2161-2180, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:54:y:2022:i:19:p:2161-2180
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2021.1985073
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    Cited by:

    1. Feifei Ye & Rongyan You & Haitian Lu & Sirui Han & Long-Hao Yang, 2023. "The Classification Impact of Different Types of Environmental Regulation on Chinese Provincial Carbon Emission Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-24, August.
    2. Yanpeng Chen & Wenjun Mai, 2024. "Investor attention and environmental performance of Chinese high-tech companies: the moderating effects of media attention and coverage sentiment," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Jun Wang & Guixiang Zhang, 2022. "Can Environmental Regulation Improve High-Quality Economic Development in China? The Mediating Effects of Digital Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Bowei Cai & Jiangmin Yang & Gengzhi Huang, 2023. "Spatiotemporal Dynamics in Economic, Social, and Environmental Upgrading in China: Coupling Coordination and Influencing Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Chuanjia Du & Chengjun Wang & Tao Feng, 2023. "The Impact of China’s National Sustainable Development Experimental Zone Policy on Energy Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-21, May.
    6. Pan, Xiongfeng & Wang, Mengyang & Li, Mengna, 2023. "Low-carbon policy and industrial structure upgrading: Based on the perspective of strategic interaction among local governments," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    7. Wenqi Zhao & Moau Yong Toh, 2023. "Impact of Innovative City Pilot Policy on Industrial Structure Upgrading in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-22, April.
    8. Zhou, Jingyu & Liu, Weibai, 2024. "Carbon Reduction Effects of Digital Technology Transformation: Evidence from the Listed Manufacturing Firms in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    9. Youyuan Zheng & Zhou Zhou & Fan Zhou, 2024. "The Non-Linear Effect of Dual Environmental Regulation on Urban Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from 284 Cities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-22, June.
    10. Shuai Guan & Jinquan Liu & Yongfu Liu & Mingze Du, 2022. "The Nonlinear Influence of Environmental Regulation on the Transformation and Upgrading of Industrial Structure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-16, July.
    11. Pan, Minjie & Zhao, Xin & lv, Kangjuan & Rosak-Szyrocka, Joanna & Mentel, Grzegorz & Truskolaski, Tadeusz, 2023. "Internet development and carbon emission-reduction in the era of digitalization: Where will resource-based cities go?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    12. Xiaowei Xing & Azhong Ye, 2022. "Consumption Upgrading and Industrial Structural Change: A General Equilibrium Analysis and Empirical Test with Low-Carbon Green Transition Constraints," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-19, October.
    13. Yutian Dou & Shuai Guan, 2023. "The Regionally Heterogeneous Impact of China’s Environmental Regulation on the Transformation and Upgrading of Its Industrial Structure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    14. Yanli Ji & Jie Xue & Zitian Fu, 2022. "Sustainable Development of Economic Growth, Energy-Intensive Industries and Energy Consumption: Empirical Evidence from China’s Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.
    15. Jing Sun & Ningning Zhai & Jichao Miao & Huaping Sun, 2022. "Can Green Finance Effectively Promote the Carbon Emission Reduction in “Local-Neighborhood” Areas?—Empirical Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-13, September.
    16. Jun Wang & Guixiang Zhang, 2022. "Dynamic Evolution, Regional Differences, and Spatial Spillover Effects of Urban Ecological Welfare Performance in China from the Perspective of Ecological Value," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-24, December.
    17. Shaohui Zou & Zhe Liao & Yichen Liu & Xiangbo Fan, 2024. "Research on the Impact of Heterogeneous Environmental Regulation on the Coordinated Development of China’s Water–Energy–Food System from a Spatial Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.

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