命令控制、地方行政激励与工业SO_(2)减排——来自两控区的经验研究

Command-and-Control, Local Administrative Incentives and Industrial SO_(2) Emission Reduction:Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment of Two Control Zones in China

环境规制能否改善环境质量受到各界关注,对中国SO2减排成功经验的研究不仅将视角拓展至发展中国家,而且为命令控制型环境政策的有效性提供有力证据。借助中国在1998年实施的两控区政策以及中央在2005年启动地方官员环境保护考核这一背景,采用DID方法探讨环境规制降低工业SO2排放量的作用路径。研究发现,与非两控区城市相比,两控区城市工业SO2排放量在2005年之后呈现明显降低趋势,而且持续时间长,其原因是中央在2005年对地方官员启动了环境保护考核,并将SO2减排设定为约束性指标。这一措施充分调动了地方官员的环境保护积极性,政策执行效果显著增强,诸如关停小火电、为燃煤机组安装脱硫设施等命令控制型环境政策得到了贯彻,达到了显著的防控结果。

Whether environmental regulation can improve the quality of the environment is of great concern. The research on the successful experience of SO2 emission reduction in China not only extends the research scope to developing country, but also provides strong evidence for the effectiveness of the command-and-control environmental policy. Based on Two Control Zone policy implemented in 1998 and environmental protection assessment of the local officials initiated by the central government in 2005, this paper adopts DID methods to study how the environmental regulation reduced industrial SO2 emissions. It is found that compared with non Two Control Zone cities, the industrial SO2 emissions in Two Control Zone cities reduced significantly since 2005, and the effect lasts long. The reason is that the central government initiated the environmental protection assessment of the local officials at the end of 2005 and set SO2 emission reduction set as binding indicators. These measures fully mobilized the enthusiasm of local officials for environmental protection, enhance the enforcement of environmental protection agency, more specifically,these commandand control environmental policies,such as shutting down small thermal power and the installation of desulphurization facilities for coal-fired units,were implemented,therefore,industrial SO2 emissions significantly reduced.