Can the low-carbon city pilot policy promote the upgrading of high-carbon emitting enterprises? Evidence from China

As a crucial environmental reform system to realize“carbon peaking”and“carbon neutrality”,the pilot policy of low-carbon cities(LCCs)puts pressure and challenges on high-carbon emitting enterprises(HCEEs)while providing opportunities for these firms to take the path of independent transformation.Employing the data of Chinese listed enterprises from 2006 to 2016 and adopting a difference-in-differences(DID)model,we evaluated the impact of LCC construction on the upgrading of HCEEs and its mechanisms.The results indicate that LCC construction enhances the upgrading of HCEEs in the pilot cities.The conclusions remain stable after a series of robustness tests.The mechanism analysis reveals that LCC construction triggers the upgrading of HCEEs by promoting resource allocation efficiency,R&D investment,and green technology innovation.The heterogeneity results indicate that this positive effect is more pronounced for HCEEs in regions with more stringent environmental law enforcement.This study also observes that the upgrading impact is more promi‐nent for state-owned enterprises,enterprises with higher bargaining power,and enterprises whose managers have a long-term vision.The above results provide directions for upgrading HCEEs and replicable evidence for cities in developing economies to fulfill the win-win target of environmental protection and economic transfor‐mation.

Long-term costs and benefits analysis of China’s low-carbon policies

China’s long-term,low-emission development goals will hinge on effective low-carbon policies.Therefore,it is valuable to evaluate the costs and benefits of low-carbon policy packages to ensure that low-carbon development concepts and strategies can be well integrated into the policy making process.This work uses the Low-carbon Policy Assessment(LPA)model to assess long-term costs and benefits of climate and energy policies in China under the reference(RS)scenario and the low-carbon(LC)scenario,which includes 25 additional climate and energy policies.In the LC scenario,both energy-related CO2 emissions and total greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions peak around 2030,achieving China’s Nationally Determined Contribution(NDC)target.Of the policies included in the LC scenario,the five with the highest GHG mitigation potential beyond China’s existing policies are:fluorinated gas(F-gas)substitution,a renewable portfolio standard,carbon pricing,carbon capture utilization and storage(CCUS),and a fuel economy standard for heavy duty vehicles(HDVs).In addition to reducing GHG emissions,these policies decrease particulate emissions and associated premature deaths,which would otherwise reduce China’s GDP by nearly 1.5%in 2050.Together,these policies have the potential to promote significant low-carbon prosperity in China.

Does innovative city pilot policy promote urban green growth in China?An analysis of green total factor productivity,2005-2020

The innovative city pilot policy(ICPP)is an essential manifestation of China’s construction of an innovative and green-driven development country.We incorporated urban green total factor productivity(GTFP)growth into the evaluation of ICPP.Based on the panel data of 223 cities in China from 2005 to 2020,we used the difference-in-differences model to empirically assess the influence and mechanism of the ICPP on urban GTFP growth.The main results show that(i)The ICPP has maintained an effectively fluctuating promotion on urban GTFP growth,mainly manifested in the urban green technological progress improvement.(ii)The ICPP has urban heterogeneity in promoting GTFP growth in pilot cities,mainly affecting key cities such as provincial capitals.(iii)The interaction between the agglomeration of producer services and the ICPP inhibits GTFP growth in pilot cities.

Optimization and Regulation Policy for Land Use Changes Based on Low-carbon Emission in Developed Regions of China

Land use and cover change(LUCC) is one of the important causes of the Earth’s carbon cycle imbalances resulting from failure in optimizing land use. The solution to this problem has been the hotspot of research in land and environmental science. We took 'low carbon', 'energy saving' and 'high-efficiency' as the goals of land use optimization,and integrated Markov-CA(Cellular Automaton),the Grid-Fractal model and GIS,in order to study carbon emission objective function,to establish a simulation method for land use spatial allocation optimization,to evaluate the effect of the method on carbon emissions. Regulation policy on three types of land use spatial allocation was proposed,including 'low-carbon type', 'low-carbon-economic type' and 'economic type'. We applied the method to analyze the land use spatial allocation in Taixing City of the 'Yangtze River Delta' regions in China,and obtained the following results:(i) The three optimization types would improve carbon emissions by 3. 21%,1. 80% and 0. 36% respectively in 2020,compared with 2010;(ii) The actual planning for 2020 was close to the 'low-carbon-economic type';(iii) The optimization method and regulation policy,combining local optimization and global control,could meet the sustainable multi-objective requirements for low-carbon constraints of land use spatial allocation. The result of this research could also serve as a reference for exploration into patterns of regional low-carbon land use and measures for energy saving and emission reduction.

Research on the transmission mechanism of low-carbon policies:an empirical study of agricultural companies

Companies bear primary responsibility for low-carbon economy,thus relevant low-carbon policies should be set properly to guide them and to ensure their low-carbon production effectively.To solve the problems generated during low-carbon development,this article verifies the existence of the transmission path and strength.This verification includes mediating variables of companies'willingness and capacity to conduct low-carbon production,a transmission mechanism through incentive path and resources protection,and questionnaire data of agricultural companies.Conclusions show that the lowcarbon policies have obvious positive effects on willingness of corporation;the basic service-oriented policy has a significantly promoting effect on low-carbon production capacity;and low-carbon production performance is positively influenced by willingness as well as capability.Aiming at a better transmission path,some corresponding recommendations have been put forward in the end.

Scaling up private investment in low-carbon energy systems through regional cooperation: Effective trade policy measures

How to ensure energy supply and reduce environment pollution have turned into governments’ top priorities and key factors to maintain sustainable development. In this context, two major trade and investment agreements that could lead to profound influence on low-carbon energy systems development around the Asia-Pacific region are the Regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) consisted of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Republic of Korea and the Belt and road initiative (BRI) initiated by China. In order to have a smooth transition to low-carbon energy systems in Asia, besides RCEP and BRI, it is imperative to boost private sector investment. Success of encouraging private sector investment depends on appropriate government policies towards promoting innovations and reducing financial risks to private investors. The research questions that are examined in this study are: What type of policy measures affects trade in low-carbon transition, particularly renewable energy (RE) transition? How can investment signals and incentives be reframed to scale up private finance in RE? The objective is to investigate and to provide several feasible trade policy and investment policy tools for both national and regional markets that governments could adopt to accelerate the speed of private financing of the low-carbon energy industry, particularly the RE industry.

Research on low-carbon development of electric power industry:from the perspectives of public policy

It is a fundamental way to achieve sustainable development and inclusive growth that China takes the low-carbon development path.And low-carbon development is an effective way to respond to many threats,including global climate anomalies,environmental degradation,and energy shortage.Low-carbon economy is policy economy to a large extent.Although the external environment demands low-carbon development of electric power industry,enterprises lack intrinsic motivation.Electric power industry is the pillar industry of China,and is one of the key industries for China's low-carbon development.The government needs to ensure its dominant position in the low-carbon development of electric power industry,and reform the government performance management system and promote the planning and management of electric power industry through appropriate public policy,in order to adjust the structure of the electric power industry and take a low-carbon development road with Chinese characteristics.

Study on Carbon Emission Driving Factors and Low-carbon Policy of Transportation Industry in Henan Province

The transportation industry is the basic industry of national economic development. At the same time, it is the only industry in China that has continuously increased CO2 emissions, and the high energy consumption problems have not been solved. Henan province, as a major energy consumption province, it is urgent to improve the supply quality of transportation industry. The paper uses the IPCC calculation method for carbon emission to calculate the CO2 emissions of transportation industry in Henan province from 2004 to 2014. Then, this paper uses the LMDI method to decompose the CO2 emission in the transportation industry and give the proposal to reduce the CO2 emission according to the CO2 emission drivers.

A Mechanism for Digital Finance to Drive Green and Low-Carbon Development

Given the global focus on green and low-carbon development and the increasing prominence of digital finance,it is particularly important to explore how to leverage digital finance to achieve these environmental goals.This study,through mechanism analysis,deeply examines how China’s digital finance promotes green and low-carbon development and elucidates the positive interaction between digital finance and the green industry.The study found that digital finance,through more flexible and efficient financial functions,alters the cost structure of carbon emissions,and reduces the risks and costs of green investments,thereby creating a cooperative green mechanism benefiting all parties,and guiding social groups toward a green and low-carbon transformation.Additionally,the rapid development of digital finance has strengthened the implementation of environmental protection policies,effectively promoted the expansion of the environmental protection industry,and established the green ethos as a mainstream concept in financial development.This study aims to provide reference perspectives and suggestions,assist policymakers in promoting the green and lowcarbon development of digital finance,and offer insights into the integrated development of digital finance and the green environmental protection industry.

Overview of Low-carbon Economy Research

The paper has a detailed literature review in low-carbon economy research of academic circle in our country from three aspects that are conception and connotation of low-carbon economy, necessity and urgency of developing low-carbon economy and path choice of realizing low-carbon economy in our country. low-carbon economy is the "green economy" that obtains the maximum output by discharging minimum greenhouse gases with the main characteristics of "three low and three high" that are low energy consumption, low pollution, low discharge and high effect, high efficiency, high benefit. To China, developing low-carbon economy is the inevitable choice in realizing peaceful rising and sustainable development as a responsible large country. It conforms to world trends and corresponds to China's actual conditions. Finally, the paper makes a overview of the path choice in realizing low-carbon economy in our country from eight aspects-integral countermeasures and suggestions, technology innovation, consumption pattern innovation, policy innovation, environmental and financial innovation, building low-carbon city, establishing carbon trading market and developing low-carbon agriculture.

Developing China's National Emission Trading Scheme:Experiences from Existing Global Schemes and China's Pilot Programs

Market-based emission trading schemes(ETSs) are widely used in the developed world to reduce greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions which are perceived as the source of global climate change. China, as the largest GHG emitter in the world, is committed to introducing an ETS to reduce emissions. Here we reviewed existing ETSs and sustainable energy policies worldwide as well as China's pilot programs. These studies were conducted in order to propose recommendations for national initiatives and strategies to be implemented in China in relation to climate change adaptation and mitigation. It has been shown that setting emission caps in the context of a national emission intensity target is difficult. However, implementing reliable systems for measurement, reporting, and verification of emissions are essential. A two-level management system(by central and provincial governments) for carbon trading is beneficial to ensure uniform standards and compliance while maintaining flexibility. Persistent political support from, and effective coordination of, policies by the government are crucial. In addition, strengthening of institutional innovation, and the establishment of a national GHG emissions information system, are of equal importance. This vital information could provide a great opportunity for China to re-define its economic growth and take global leadership in combatting climate change.

POLICIES

China to improve investment environment in 2015China will improve its investment environment in 2015,according to the Central Economic Work Conference concluded on Dec.11,2014.Market access in the service sector will be improved,and manufacturing sectors will be further opened up.Experiences of the China(Shanghai)Pilot Free Trade Zone(FTZ)will be popularized.Inbound overseas investment will

Oil and Gas Policies in the World’s Major Countries

Revolutionary adjustments were made to the global energy structure in 2017.For the first time,OPEC cooperated with non-OPEC countries to reach an agreement on production curtailment in order to stabilize the oil and gas market.On the one hand,host countries have introduced various fiscal and tax incentive policies to attract investment in the oil and gas industry;on the other,the lack of fiscal revenue has been made up for and the low-carbon environmental protection policy supported by imposing a value-added tax and environmental protection tax.Major consumers have introduced a timetable for the sales prohibition of fuel vehicles and supported the development of new energy vehicles with fiscal and taxation policies.However,from the perspective of the full life cycle,the promotion of electric vehicles is only conducive to partially improving the environment and is not the optimal choice for national energy structure optimization.Electric vehicles will have real significance for environmental protection only after clean electric power is solved.As such,implementing the sales prohibition of fuel vehicles with administrative power goes against market discipline.

我国数字乡村试点的政策工具偏好及区域差异——基于全国72个试点县域的扎根分析

以数字技术赋能乡村建设是推动农业农村现代化转型的必然要求,也是实现乡村振兴、推动共同富裕的重要战略目标。自2020年中央一号文件首次提出数字乡村试点以来,全国各试点地积极推进数字乡村建设实践。已有研究或从乡村发展与变迁视角来阐释数字化建设对于乡村高质量发展的战略意义,或从数字治理视角呈现数字化驱动乡村治理的过程和机制,而较少关注“试点”政策本身,更缺乏政策工具的类型学归纳和分析。基于政策工具视角,研究对全国72个数字乡村试点县域的一、二手资料进行扎根分析,最终提炼出能力建设型、协同治理型和创新激励型三类政策工具,并在此基础上构建数字乡村建设的“价值实践张力—动力机制—政策工具选择—政策目标实现”分析框架。研究表明,以政府主导为依托的能力建设型工具处于绝对优势地位,在此基础上叠加协同治理型与创新激励型两类政策工具,共同促进数字乡村建设的纵深发展。具体而言,东部沿海及部分中部地区因其自身物质基础较好,偏重多种政策工具的组合运用,西部及东北地区则更偏好能力建设型工具的运用。然而政策工具的选取并非一成不变,而是随着情境的变化由单一转向动态化与多样化。本研究可为数字乡村试点的深入推进提供工具借鉴,也可为相关部门的决策提供参考。

试点:一种重要的中国公共政策机制

试点是根植于中国的公共政策机制,是当代中国公共管理的关键词之一。试点显著区别于基于西方历史经验的政策过程,它越过了大量有关议程设置与方案选择的政策讨论。政府通过试点在正式实施一项政策之前授意少部分地方先行实践,检验模糊政策目标的适切性或探索实现政策目标的工具与路径。试点降低了政策争论导致悬而未决的可能,减少了直接推行一项政策的调适成本和潜在风险,是中国公共政策适应性的重要来源。试点并非总能取得预期效果,但当代中国的结构条件和制度基础较好地支撑了试点在总体上的有效性。面向建构中国自主公共管理知识体系的目标,有关试点的理论研究需要进一步厘清试点概念,揭示试点背后的多重逻辑,抽象开展试点的原则。

绿色金融试点政策对新能源企业技术创新的影响研究

绿色金融试点政策作为促进我国经济绿色低碳发展的重要途径,可以有效解决新能源行业技术创新资金瓶颈问题。选取2012—2021年A股上市新能源企业为研究对象,以2017年作为绿色金融试点政策实施的时间节点,构建双重差分模型实证研究了绿色金融试点政策对新能源企业技术创新的影响。结果表明:(1)绿色金融试点政策促进了新能源企业技术创新;(2)绿色金融试点政策可以缓解新能源企业融资约束,进而促进新能源企业技术创新;(3)在企业异质性分析方面,国有产权性质、社会责任意识较好、较高金融发展水平和较高绿色金融水平地区的新能源企业技术创新受绿色金融试点政策的促进效果更明显。研究结论可以为新能源企业制定技术创新策略和融资策略提供一定的决策支持。

“宽带中国”试点政策对企业绿色创新的影响——数字金融、数字化转型的中介效应

“宽带中国”试点是加强数字基础设施建设,以数字化推动企业绿色创新发展的重要途径。将“宽带中国”试点政策作为一项准自然实验,选取2011-2021年2 037家A股上市公司样本数据,运用多时点双重差分模型检验“宽带中国”试点政策对企业绿色创新的影响。研究发现:①“宽带中国”试点政策能够显著促进企业绿色创新,经过平行趋势检验、PSM-DID检验等一系列稳健性检验后结论依然成立;②“宽带中国”试点政策对企业绿色创新的影响具有所有权、行业和城市环境规制水平异质性,试点政策对国有企业、重污染行业以及低环境规制城市企业的促进作用更显著;③机制检验表明,“宽带中国”试点政策主要通过提高城市数字金融水平和推动企业数字化转型两条路径促进企业绿色创新,具体表现为提高城市数字金融使用深度和覆盖广度以及增强企业数字化转型关注度和资源投入,与企业数字化转型相比,城市数字金融所发挥的中介效应更显著;④进一步分析表明,“宽带中国”试点政策溢出效应明显,具体表现为上市公司总部对子公司绿色创新以及对邻近城市企业绿色创新的空间溢出效应。研究结论有助于丰富企业绿色创新影响因素研究,并为全面理解“宽带中国”试点政策赋能机理以及新一代信息基础设施建设提供参考。

科技金融驱动地区创新——基于“促进科技和金融结合试点”的自然实验

党的二十大报告强调,必须坚持科技是第一生产力,加快营造有利于实施创新驱动发展战略的良好环境。本文以2004-2019年城市为样本,检验“促进科技和金融结合”试点政策对城市创新水平的影响。研究发现,“促进科技和金融结合”试点政策显著提升了地区的创新水平。影响机制分析表明,“促进科技和金融结合”试点政策的实施加强了试点地区金融载体和创新载体两类载体的建设,进而提升了地区创新水平。进一步检验发现,“促进科技和金融结合”试点政策的创新促进效应主要存在于初始发展水平和人力资本水平更高的地区。研究结果还发现,“促进科技和金融结合”试点政策能够通过缓解企业融资约束提升企业的创新水平。本文的研究结果有助于为进一步推动科技和金融结合、加快实现我国高水平科技自立自强提供理论依据和政策参考。

“低碳”目标下的企业创新行为:实质还是策略?

创新对于促进企业减污降碳、实现绿色发展转型的重要性日益凸显。区别于已有研究侧重分析低碳城市试点政策对绿色技术创新的影响,本文利用工业企业数据库和专利数据库的微观数据,探讨低碳城市试点政策对企业策略性创新行为的影响及其作用机制。实证结果显示,低碳城市试点显著促进企业创新,其影响源于诱发企业策略性创新行为,但无法激励企业实质性创新行为。在经过一系列识别检验、稳健性检验、不同的估计方法后,上述结论依然成立。异质性分析发现,低碳城市试点对非国有企业、污染行业企业的策略性创新的影响更为显著。基于传递效应模型的机制分析表明低碳城市试点政策扶持下,企业为寻求政府补贴而进行策略性创新。研究结论对于探索“双碳”引领、创新驱动的发展之路具有一定的参考价值。

地方改革试点的实践样态与行动逻辑--基于“激励-问责”协同性框架的多案例分析

改革试点是一种重要的治国理政机制。中国的改革试点不仅是一种纵向的分级制政策实验,在横向上地方改革试点还表现出明显的地方性差异。改革试点对应的是宽泛的政策指导与政策的灵活性,政策执行的条件将直接影响地方改革效能。在地方改革试点中,激励结构与问责力度是影响政策执行的两个关键要素。基于全国农村产权制度改革的多案例研究结果表明,地方政府的激励结构、问责强度和资源禀赋构成了地方改革试点的使动条件,地方主政者的行动态度、行动空间和行动能力构成了地方改革试点的能动条件,两者协同促使地方政府采取争先创新、稳妥有序、应付避责与象征执行的行动策略。因此,在地方改革试点中,要营造更具包容性的政策环境,建立相对均衡的制度结构,激发地方改革创新的积极性和能动性,以提升地方治理效能。