Governing the green metropolis: Legal institutional innovation and carbon-neutral urban transformation in China's environmental court regime

This paper examines the impact of environmental jurisdiction strengthening on carbon emissions through an analysis of a quasi-natural experiment involving environmental court reform that commenced in 2007 by using data from 278 cities from 2003 to 2021 and a staggered DID model. The analysis revealed the following results: The establishment of environmental courts has resulted in a notable reduction in the carbon emissions intensity of the city. This occurrence is especially common in cities characterized by significant ecological challenges, substantial financial outlays, and comparatively low degrees of judicial contentment. Environmental courts have the potential to significantly enhance the enforcement of command-and-control environmental regulations. As a result, the impact on carbon emissions relative to GDP in urban areas is realized through three primary channels: the synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon emissions, enhancements in energy efficiency, and the encouragement of low-carbon green innovation.