Green Transformation of Special Economic Zones and Air Pollution Control: Relocation or Innovation

Abstract

Abstract: Taking the green transformation of Special Economic Zones as the starting point to promote air pollution control is of great value to accelerate the construction of an ecological civilization system. Based on the policy of the National Transformation and Upgrading Demonstration Special Economic Zones of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, this paper investigates the effects of the green transformation of Special Economic Zones on air pollution control by using the difference-in-differences method. The results show that the green transformation of Special Economic Zones can effectively reduce the local air pollution level. The mechanism analysis finds that the green transformation of Special Economic Zones enables local polluting enterprises to circumvent environmental regulations by setting up subsidiaries in other cities, but does not increase the number of local green patents, indicating that the effect of the green transformation of Special Economic Zones on air quality is mainly achieved through the relocation effect, rather than the innovation effect. Further analysis reveals that the green transformation of Special Economic Zones has not been able to simultaneously improve local economic development, probably due to the existence of the relocation effect which makes some pollution projects transferred to other places. This shows that the air pollution control effect of the green transformation of Special Economic Zones is at the expense of certain economic growth. The above research conclusions provide empirical evidence for understanding the practical effect and internal logic of green transformation of Special Economic Zones.

Key words: Green Transformation of Special Economic Zones, Air Pollution, Pollution Transfer, Place-based Policy

摘要： 本文借助长江经济带国家级转型升级示范开发区的政策冲击,采用双重差分法考察开发区绿色转型的空气污染治理效应。研究结果表明,开发区绿色转型有效降低了当地空气污染程度,促使当地污染企业通过在异地设立子公司的方式来规避环境规制,并未增加当地的绿色专利数量,表明异地迁移效应在其中发挥着主要作用,就地创新效应并未凸显。进一步分析显示,开发区绿色转型未同步提高当地的经济增长水平,体现出开发区绿色转型的政策效果是以牺牲一定的经济增长为代价的。上述结论为理解开发区绿色转型的实践效果及其内在逻辑提供了经验证据。

关键词: 开发区绿色转型, 空气污染, 污染转移, 区位导向性政策

CLC Number:

F061.5

CAO Youbin. Green Transformation of Special Economic Zones and Air Pollution Control: Relocation or Innovation[J]. Collected Essays on Finance and Economics, 2024, 40(10): 37-47.

曹友斌. 开发区绿色转型与空气污染治理:异地迁移还是就地创新[J]. 财经论丛, 2024, 40(10): 37-47.

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