Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

The nexus of fiscal policy instruments and environmental degradation in China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As one of the world’s largest economies, Chinese economy is maintaining the rapid economic development along with the cost of environmental degradation. The role of fiscal policy instruments is still unknown in the Chinese pollution equation. To do this, the present study is an effort to quantify the nexus of fiscal policy instruments and environmental degradation for Chinese economy over 1980 to 2016. The results reveal that fiscal policy instruments significantly increase the environmental degradation in the long run. The GDP and energy consumption of Chinese economy also enhance the environmental degradation respectively. The innovative accounting approach and diagnostics tests also applied to confirm the empirical estimates of study are reliable and valid for policy implications. The outcomes of study reveal that expansionary fiscal policy will lead to environmental degradation. Therefore, the Chinese authorities may consider the usage of advance and eco-friendly production methods to sustain the fast-growing economic growth along with the healthier environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdouli M, Hammami S (2017) Investigating the causality links between environmental quality, foreign direct investment and economic growth in MENA countries. Int Bus Rev 26:264–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdouli M, Kamoun O, Hamdi B (2018) The impact of economic growth, population density, and FDI inflows on CO 2 emissions in BRICTS countries: Does the Kuznets curve exist? Empir Econ 54(4):1717–1742

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed Z, Wang Z, Mahmood F et al (2019a) Environ Sci Pollut Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05224-9

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed Z, Wang Z, Mahmood F, Hafeez M, Ali N (2019b) Does globalization increase the ecological footprint? Empirical evidence from Malaysia. Environ Sci Pollut Res:1–18

  • Alam A (2013) Nuclear energy, CO2 emissions and economic growth the case of developing and developed countries. J Econ Stud 40(6):822–834

    Google Scholar 

  • Alam A, Azam M, Bin Abdullah A, Malik IA, Khan A, Hamzah TAAT et al (2014) Environmental quality indicators and financial development in Malaysia: unity in diversity. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:8392–8404

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mulali U, Saboori B, Ozturk I (2015) Investigating the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in Vietnam. Energy Policy 76:123–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2014.11.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aung TS, Saboori B, Rasoulinezhad E (2017) Economic growth and environmental pollution in Myanmar: an analysis of environmental Kuznets curve. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24(25):20487–20501

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balcilar M, Ciftcioglu S, Gungor H (2016) The effects of financial development on Investment in Turkey. Singap Econ Rev 61(4):1650002. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217590816500028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bento JPC, Moutinho V (2016) CO2 emissions, non-renewable and renewable electricity production, economic growth, and international trade in Italy. Renew Sust Energ Rev 55:142–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Cetin M, Ecevit E (2017) The impact of financial development on carbon emissions under the structural breaks: empirical evidence from Turkish economy. Int J Econ Perspect 11(1):64–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Charfeddine L, Al-malk AY, Al K (2018) Is it possible to improve environmental quality without reducing economic growth: evidence from the Qatar economy. Renew Sust Energ Rev 82:25–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.09.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • das Neves Almeida TA, García-Sánchez IM (2017) Sociopolitical and economic elements to explain the environmental performance of countries. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24(3):3006–3026

    Google Scholar 

  • Dongyan L (2009) Fiscal and tax policy support for energy efficiency retrofit for existing residential buildings in China’s northern heating region. Energy Policy 37(6):2113–2118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.11.036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engle RF, Granger CW (1987) Co-integration and error correction: representation, estimation, and testing. Econometrica 251–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Galinato GI, Islam F (2014) The challenge of addressing consumption pollutants with fiscal policy Working Paper Series WP. Washington State University

  • Goulder LH (2013) Climate change policy’s interactions with the tax system. Energy Econ 40:S3–S11

    Google Scholar 

  • Hafeez M, Chunhui Y, Strohmaier D, Ahmed M, Jie L (2018) Does finance affect environmental degradation: evidence from One Belt and One Road Initiative region? Environ Sci Pollut Res:1–14

  • Hafeez M, Yuan C, Khelfaoui I, A Sultan Musaad O, Waqas Akbar M, Jie L (2019a) Evaluating the energy consumption inequalities in the One Belt and One Road Region: Implications for the Environment. Energies 12(7):1358

    Google Scholar 

  • Hafeez M, Yuan C, Shahzad K, Aziz B, Iqbal K, Raza S (2019b) An empirical evaluation of financial development-carbon footprint nexus in One Belt and Road region. Environ Sci Pollut Res:1–11

  • Hafeez M, Yuan C, Yuan Q, Zhuo Z, Stromaier D (2019c) A global prospective of environmental degradations: economy and finance. Environ Sci Pollut Res:1–18

  • Halkos GE, Paizanos EΑ (2013) The effect of government expenditure on the environment: An empirical investigation. Ecol Econ 91:48–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Halkos GE, Paizanos EA (2016) The effects of fiscal policy on CO2 emissions: evidence from the U.S.A. Energy Policy 88:317–328

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iqbal K, Peng H, Hafeez M, Ahmad K, Tang L (2019) Corruption, income inequality and decline in South Asia. Hum Syst Manag 38(3):235–241

    Google Scholar 

  • Islam F, Lopez R (2015) Government spending and air pollution in the U.S. Int. Rev. Env. Resour. Econ. 8(2):139–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Istaiteyeh RMS (2016) Causality analysis between electricity consumption and real GDP: evidence from Jordan. Int J Econ Perspect 10(4):526–540

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwata H, Okada K, Samreth S (2012) Empirical study on the determinants of CO2 emissions: evidence from OECD countries. Appl Econ 44:3513–3519

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalil A, Feridun M (2011) The impact of growth, energy and financial development on the environment in China: a cointegration analysis. Energy Econ 33(2):284–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2010.10.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jamel L, Derbali A (2016) Do energy consumption and economic growth lead to environmental degradation? Evidence from Asian economies. Cogent Economics & Finance 4(1):1170653

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamel L, Maktouf S (2017) The nexus between economic growth, financial development, trade openness, and CO2 emissions in European countries. Cogent Economics & Finance 5(1):1341456

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansen S (1988) Statistical analysis of cointegration vectors. J Econ Dyn Control 12(2-3):231–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalayci S, Koksal C (2015) The relationship between China’s airway freight in terms of carbon-dioxide emission and export volume. Int J Econ Perspect 9(4):60–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasman A, Duman YS (2015) CO2 emissions, economic growth, energy consumption, trade and urbanization in new EU member and candidate countries: a panel data analysis. Econ Model 44:97–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Katircioglu S, Katircioglu S (2018) Testing the role of fiscal policy in the environmental degradation: the case of Turkey. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25(6):5616–5630

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaushal LA, Pathak N (2015) The causal relationship among economic growth, financial development and trade openess in Indian economy. Int J Econ Perspect 9(2):5–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Lean HH, Smyth R (2010) CO2 emissions, electricity consumption and output in ASEAN. Appl Energy 87(6):1858–1864

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Han L, Yin Z, Luo K (2017) A competitive carbon emissions scheme with hybrid fiscal incentives: the evidence from a taxi industry. Energy Policy 102:414–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.12.038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Yuan C, Hafeez M, Yuan Q (2018) The relationship between environment and logistics performance: evidence from Asian countries. J Clean Prod 204:282–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Li Z, Yin X (2018) The effects of three types of environmental regulation on energy consumption—evidence from China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25(27):27334–27351

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez R, Palacios A (2014) Why has Europe become environmentally cleaner? Decomposing the roles of fiscal, trade and environmental policies. Environ Resour Econ 58(1):91–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez R, Galinato GI, Islam F (2011) Fiscal spending and the environment: theory and empirics. J Environ Econ Manag 62:180–198

    Google Scholar 

  • McAusland C (2008) Trade, politics, and the environment: Tailpipe vs. smokestack. J Environ Econ Manag 55(1):52–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Narayan PK (2005) The saving and investment nexus for China: evidence from cointegration tests. Appl Econ 37(17):1979–1990

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozcan B, Ari A (2017) Nuclear energy-economic growth nexus in OECD countries: a panel data analysis. Int J Econ Perspect 11(1):138–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Pesaran MH, Shin Y, Smith RJ (2001) Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships. J Appl Econ 16(3):289–326

    Google Scholar 

  • Rauf A, Liu X, Amin W, Ozturk I, Rehman OU, Hafeez M (2018) Testing EKC hypothesis with energy and sustainable development challenges: a fresh evidence from Belt and Road Initiative economies. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Rausch S (2013) Fiscal consolidation and climate policy: an overlapping generation’s perspective. Energy Econ 40:S134–S148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2013.09.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salam S, Hafeez M, Mahmood MT, Akbar K (2019) The dynamic relation between technology adoption, technology innovation, human capital and economy: comparison of lower-middle-income countries. Interdiscip Descr Complex Syst: INDECS 17(1-B):146–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Sekrafi H, Sghaier A (2018) Examining the relationship between corruption, economic growth, environmental degradation, and energy consumption: a panel analysis in MENA region. J Knowl Econ 9(3):963–979

    Google Scholar 

  • Uddin GA, Salahuddin M, Alam K, Gow J (2017) Ecological footprint and real income: panel data evidence from the 27 highest emitting countries. Ecol Indic 77:166–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.01.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (2017) World development indicators. Retrieved from: http://www.worldbank.org. Accessed March, 2019

  • Yan X, Crookes RJ (2010) Energy demand and emissions from road transportation vehicles in China. Prog Energy Combust Sci 36(6):651–676

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yao X, Yasmeen R, Li Y, Hafeez M, Padda IUH (2019) Free trade agreements and environment for sustainable development: a gravity model analysis. Sustainability 11(3):597. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yasmeen R, Li Y, Hafeez M, Ahmad H (2018) The trade-environment nexus in light of governance: a global potential. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:34360–34379

    Google Scholar 

  • Yasmeen R, Li Y, Hafeez M (2019) Tracing the trade–pollution nexus in global value chains: evidence from air pollution indicators. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:5221–5233

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zambrano‐Monserrate MA, Fernandez MA (2017) An environmental Kuznets curve for N2O emissions in Germany: an ARDL approach. In: Natural Resources Forum, vol 41, No. 2 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, pp 119–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Lin Y (2012) Panel estimation for urbanization, energy consumption and CO2 emissions: a regional analysis in China. Energy Policy 49:488–498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.06.048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Mu H, Ning Y, Song Y (2009) Decomposition of energy-related CO2 emission over 1991–2006 in China. Ecol Econ 68(7):2122–2128

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao W, Cao Y, Miao B, Wang K, Wei YM (2018) Impacts of shifting China’s final energy consumption to electricity on CO2 emission reduction. Energy Econ 71:359–369

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muhammad Hafeez.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Nicholas Apergis

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yuelan, P., Akbar, M.W., Hafeez, M. et al. The nexus of fiscal policy instruments and environmental degradation in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 28919–28932 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06071-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06071-4

Keywords

Navigation