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Influence of a pilot carbon trading policy on enterprises’ low-carbon innovation in China

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  • Shao-Zhou Qi
  • Chao-Bo Zhou
  • Kai Li
  • Si-Yan Tang

Abstract

China’s pilot carbon trading policy is expected to be both efficient and flexible in reducing carbon emissions through incentivising low-carbon innovation. This paper analyses the effects of this pilot policy on low-carbon innovation using a difference-in-difference model, based on a sample of selected enterprises and carrying out a series of robustness tests to corroborate the results. The analysis shows that the pilot carbon trading policy is predicted to have a significantly positive effect on the low-carbon innovation of enterprises that fall under its scope, notably by alleviating obstacles to the financing of low-carbon innovation. Furthermore, a heterogeneity analysis of enterprises’ characteristics and carbon allowance allocation methods in different pilots indicates that the effect of the pilot carbon trading policy on enterprises’ low-carbon innovation will be reflected mainly in enterprises in China’s eastern provinces, and in state-owned enterprises. Compared with the grandfathering and historical intensity allocation methods, the findings of this study suggest that the extent of low-carbon innovation is significantly greater when the benchmarking method is used. The results of this paper offer some key insights into improving the policy design of a nationwide carbon trading market in China, as well as a reference point for other countries and regions, especially developing countries, in establishing a carbon trading market.Key policy insights China’s pilot carbon trading policy can promote low-carbon innovation.Easing the financing constraints of enterprises can promote low-carbon innovation.Compared with the grandfathering and historical intensity allocation methods, using the benchmarking method significantly improves the enterprises’ low-carbon innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Shao-Zhou Qi & Chao-Bo Zhou & Kai Li & Si-Yan Tang, 2021. "Influence of a pilot carbon trading policy on enterprises’ low-carbon innovation in China," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 318-336, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tcpoxx:v:21:y:2021:i:3:p:318-336
    DOI: 10.1080/14693062.2020.1864268
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Ming & Shan, Yanfei & Li, Yemei, 2022. "Study on the effect of carbon trading regulation on green innovation and heterogeneity analysis from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Gao, Yihong & Gao, Jiayan, 2023. "Low-carbon transformation and corporate cash holdings," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    3. Dong, Zhaoyingzi & Liu, Haijing & Zhang, Weiwen, 2024. "The effect of information disclosure on low-carbon innovation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    4. Liang Shen & Fei Lin & T. C. E. Cheng, 2022. "Low-Carbon Transition Models of High Carbon Supply Chains under the Mixed Carbon Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax Policy in the Carbon Neutrality Era," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Zhiliang Xu & Changxin Xu & Yun Li, 2023. "Green Credit Policy, Environmental Investment, and Green Innovation: Quasi-Natural Experimental Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-17, May.
    6. Shanshan Li & Zhengjun Hu, 2024. "The Impact of the Circular Economy Pilot Policy on Carbon Emissions in Chinese Cities and Its Underlying Mechanisms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-25, September.
    7. Chaobo Zhou & Yuankun Li & Zhengxin Sun, 2022. "Has the Carbon Trading Pilot Market Improved Enterprises’ Export Green-Sophistication in China?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    8. Yuguo Jiang & Enock Mintah Ampaw & Hongyan Wu & Lan Zhao, 2023. "The Effects of System Pressure on Low-Carbon Innovation in Firms: A Case Study from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-20, July.
    9. Zhengge Song & Jingjing Tang & Haijian Zeng & Fangying Pang, 2024. "How Urban-Level Credit Expansion Affects the Quality of Green Innovation: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-22, February.
    10. Wang, M. & Zhou, P., 2022. "A two-step auction-refund allocation rule of CO2 emission permits," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    11. Zhengjun Hu & Shanshan Li, 2023. "Innovation-Driven Policy and Low-Carbon Technology Innovation: Research Driven by the Impetus of National Innovative City Pilot Policy in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, May.
    12. Chao Tu & Yingfang Shi, 2023. "Market-Incentive Environmental Regulation and the Quality of Corporate Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-17, March.
    13. Zhou, Bihua & Huang, Yun & Zhao, Yihang, 2024. "Research on the incentive effect of the policy combination of carbon-reduction pilot cities," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 456-475.
    14. Li, Changsheng & Qi, Yaping & Liu, Shaohui & Wang, Xu, 2022. "Do carbon ETS pilots improve cities' green total factor productivity? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    15. Zhang, Xinhua & Zhang, Qianqian & Dai, Zhifeng & Zhang, Xiaotong, 2023. "The impact of carbon markets on the financial performance of power producers: Evidence based on China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    16. Xuehui Yang & Jiaping Zhang & Lehua Bi & Yiming Jiang, 2023. "Does China’s Carbon Trading Pilot Policy Reduce Carbon Emissions? Empirical Analysis from 285 Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-24, March.
    17. Enci Wang & Jianyun Nie & Hong Zhan, 2022. "The Impact of Carbon Emissions Trading on the Profitability and Debt Burden of Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-20, October.
    18. Jiawei Li & Jianghong Zeng & Zhengke Ye & Xiangrong Huang, 2021. "Are Clean Technologies More Effective Than End-of-Pipe Technologies? Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    19. Qi, Shaozhou & Pang, Lidong & Qi, Tianbai & Zhang, Xiaoling & Pirtea, Marilen Gabriel, 2024. "The correlation between the green bond market and carbon trading markets under climate change: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    20. Zhou, Chaobo & Qi, Shaozhou, 2022. "Has the pilot carbon trading policy improved China's green total factor energy efficiency?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    21. Shenhai Huang & Chao Du & Xian Jin & Daini Zhang & Shiyan Wen & Yu’an Wang & Zhenyu Cheng & Zhijie Jia, 2022. "The Boundary of Porter Hypothesis: The Energy and Economic Impact of China’s Carbon Neutrality Target in 2060," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-18, December.
    22. Li, Lei & Ma, Shaojun & Zheng, Yilin & Ma, Xiaoyu & Duan, Kaifeng, 2022. "Do regional integration policies matter? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment on heterogeneous green innovation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    23. Chen, Wen, 2023. "Bank connections, corporate social responsibility and low-carbon innovation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    24. Jin, Chenfei & Monfort, Abel & Chen, Feng & Xia, Neng & Wu, Bao, 2024. "Institutional investor ESG activism and corporate green innovation against climate change: Exploring differences between digital and non-digital firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    25. Guangyao Yu & Qinqin Zheng & Xueying Lin & Kaiqi Yuan, 2023. "Sustainability-Oriented Low-Carbon Innovation in SOEs: A Case Study of Shanghai Metro," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-23, November.

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