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Carbon neutrality endeavors: the impact of carbon emission trading policies on total factor carbon emission efficiency

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Abstract

Deepening the carbon market allocation reform is a strong support for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. China has been piloting carbon trading in batches since 2013. However, there is little literature on whether and how carbon emission trading (CET) improves total factor carbon emission efficiency (TFCEE). To fill this gap, this study first calculates urban TFCEE using an extended Epsilon-based model and then designs a quasi-natural experiment based on causal inference. The staggered DID model is adopted to investigate the impact of CET pilot policies on urban TFCEE and its impact mechanism. Our results show that (1) the CET policy has a significant promoting effect on TFCEE in pilot cities, and this conclusion is reconfirmed by adopting robustness tests. (2) The mediating effect models are employed to confirm the mediating role of green technology innovation, industrial structure upgrading, and resource allocation efficiency in CET policy promoting regional TFCEE. (3) The heterogeneity test of CET policy depicts a considerable positive impact on TFCEE in cities with abundant resources. Eastern and developed cities are more likely to experience better carbon efficiency promotion through this policy than other cities. This study provides evidence for the important role of CET in promoting the development of a low-carbon economy and carbon neutrality.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are property of the National Bureau of Statistics; they are available from the corresponding author who will inform the National Bureau of Statistics that the data will be released upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This research is funded by the Soft Science Research Programme of Henan Province in [Research on Carbon Trading Market in Henan Province under the constraints of Dual Carbon Targets grant number 232400411036].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University, Xinyang, Hehan Province, China

    Lulu Liu

  2. Department of Urban Construction Engineering, Wuhan, Wenhua College, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China

    Yanyin Lv

  3. School of Law and Business, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China

    Da Gao

  4. School of Economics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China

    Xinlin Mo

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  1. Lulu Liu
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  2. Yanyin Lv
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  3. Da Gao
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Contributions

Da Gao and Lulu Liu conceived and designed the research question. Yanyin Lv and Xinlin Mo constructed the models and analyzed the optimal solutions. Da Gao and Lulu Liu wrote the paper. Lulu Liu and Yanyin Lv reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Da Gao.

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Liu, ., Lv, Y., Gao, D. et al. Carbon neutrality endeavors: the impact of carbon emission trading policies on total factor carbon emission efficiency. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 13535–13548 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32050-5

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