Peer effects of environmental regulation on sulfur dioxide emission intensity: Empirical evidence from China

IF 4 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Energy & Environment Pub Date : 2023-09-26 DOI:10.1177/0958305x231201232

Qiong Shen, Yuxi Pan, Rui Wu, Yanchao Feng

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Under the peer effect theory, this study examines the impact of environmental regulation on sulfur dioxide emissions and investigates the existence of peer effects in environmental governance mechanisms. Using panel data from 285 prefecture-level cities in China from 2008 to 2019, a spatial econometric model reveals that environmental regulation significantly reduces local sulfur dioxide discharge while exhibiting positive spatial spillover effects in surrounding regions, reflecting the “beggar-thy-neighbor” dilemma of environmental governance in China. The study confirms the presence of a positive peer effect of environmental regulation, supporting the combination of ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ ecological governance approaches. The impact of environmental regulation on sulfur dioxide emissions varies based on regulation intensities and urban characteristics such as geographical position, marketization degree, and official governor's tenure. Learning mechanisms and competition mechanisms partially establish the peer effect of environmental regulation in most Chinese cities. Additionally, exogenous shocks from macro events and strategic policies exert differential influences on the peer effect of environmental regulation, particularly in cities with low regulation intensity. This study provides valuable guidance for balancing environmental protection and sustainable economic growth, fostering intercity collaboration in environmental regulation, and formulating site-specific sustainable development strategies for China and other emerging economies.

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环境规制对二氧化硫排放强度的对等效应:来自中国的经验证据

在同伴效应理论的指导下，本研究考察了环境规制对二氧化硫排放的影响，并考察了环境治理机制中同伴效应的存在。利用2008 - 2019年中国285个地级市的面板数据构建的空间计量模型表明，环境规制显著降低了当地二氧化硫排放量，同时对周边地区产生了正的空间溢出效应，反映了中国环境治理的“以邻为壑”困境。该研究证实了环境监管存在积极的对等效应，支持“自上而下”和“自下而上”生态治理方法的结合。环境监管对二氧化硫排放的影响因监管强度和城市特征(如地理位置、市场化程度、官员任期)而异。学习机制和竞争机制在一定程度上建立了中国大部分城市环境规制的同伴效应。此外，来自宏观事件和战略政策的外生冲击对环境监管的对等效应产生了不同的影响，特别是在监管强度较低的城市。该研究为中国和其他新兴经济体平衡环境保护与可持续经济增长、促进环境监管方面的城际合作以及制定具体的可持续发展战略提供了有价值的指导。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Energy & Environment ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

7.10%

发文量

157

期刊介绍： Energy & Environment is an interdisciplinary journal inviting energy policy analysts, natural scientists and engineers, as well as lawyers and economists to contribute to mutual understanding and learning, believing that better communication between experts will enhance the quality of policy, advance social well-being and help to reduce conflict. The journal encourages dialogue between the social sciences as energy demand and supply are observed and analysed with reference to politics of policy-making and implementation. The rapidly evolving social and environmental impacts of energy supply, transport, production and use at all levels require contribution from many disciplines if policy is to be effective. In particular E & E invite contributions from the study of policy delivery, ultimately more important than policy formation. The geopolitics of energy are also important, as are the impacts of environmental regulations and advancing technologies on national and local politics, and even global energy politics. Energy & Environment is a forum for constructive, professional information sharing, as well as debate across disciplines and professions, including the financial sector. Mathematical articles are outside the scope of Energy & Environment. The broader policy implications of submitted research should be addressed and environmental implications, not just emission quantities, be discussed with reference to scientific assumptions. This applies especially to technical papers based on arguments suggested by other disciplines, funding bodies or directly by policy-makers.