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Environmental policy and exports: Evidence from Chinese cities

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Hering

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Sandra Poncet

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, CEPII - Centre d'Etudes Prospectives et d'Informations Internationales - Centre d'analyse stratégique)

Abstract

We study environmental regulation and its role for trade in China. Specifically, we assess the effectiveness of an environmental policy in China that introduced stricter regulations on sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in targeted cities. To identify the causal effect of this policy on exports, we use sectoral export data for a panel of Chinese cities and exploit variations in exports between cities and sectors, over time, and, in a second step, between firm types. We find a relative fall in sectoral exports in targeted cities after the implementation of the policy, which is sharper the more polluting the industry. Further, we find that the observed effect is mainly driven by privately owned firms, whereas exports of state-owned firms seem to be unaffected by the new policy. This finding is consistent with the preferential political treatment of state-owned firms in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Hering & Sandra Poncet, 2014. "Environmental policy and exports: Evidence from Chinese cities," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-01162230, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:hal-01162230
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2014.06.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    environmental policy; export performance; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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