Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration Cities

The new energy demonstration city policy is a significant pilot measure to promote the transition of China’s energy system, aiming at developing new, green, and low-carbon sources of energy. In this paper, the Non-radial Directional Distance Function (NDDF) was adopted to calculate the Energy-Carbon...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaoyi Zhang, Rui Zhang, Meilin Zhao, Yue Wang, Xue Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.846742/full
_version_ 1818756302503936000
author Xiaoyi Zhang
Rui Zhang
Meilin Zhao
Yue Wang
Xue Chen
author_facet Xiaoyi Zhang
Rui Zhang
Meilin Zhao
Yue Wang
Xue Chen
author_sort Xiaoyi Zhang
collection DOAJ
description The new energy demonstration city policy is a significant pilot measure to promote the transition of China’s energy system, aiming at developing new, green, and low-carbon sources of energy. In this paper, the Non-radial Directional Distance Function (NDDF) was adopted to calculate the Energy-Carbon Performance Index (ECPI) of Chinese 182 cities, for measuring the Energy-Carbon Performance (ECP) level of each city. On this basis, it is possible to empirically analyse the impact that the policy orientation of constructing new energy demonstration cities has had on urban energy carbon performance by using a combination of Propensity Score Matching and Difference-in-Difference. Moreover, a mediating effect model is utilised to test the mediating effect of technological innovation. The results show that the new energy demonstration city policy can significantly improve the ECP. Technological innovation has a partial mediating effect between the policy orientation of new energy demonstration city construction and ECP, which accounts for 12.92% of the total effect. Optimising the industrial structure, improving the level of economic development, increasing carbon sink resources, and attracting foreign direct investment all have significant impacts on the improvement of China’s ECP, while the urbanisation process has an inhibitory effect on the improvement of ECP. Heterogeneity analysis shows that policy orientation has a better driving effect on eastern cities and western cities in promoting the improvement of ECP. The policy implications of this paper are that 1) The government should expand the scope of new energy city pilots in an orderly manner; 2) The lasting and long-term influence of policy orientation on ECP should make use of technological innovation intermediary channels; 3) Support policies are supposed to formulate according to local conditions.
first_indexed 2024-12-18T05:52:53Z
format Article
id doaj.art-21e0dea476d94673a8d795865bee3782
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2296-665X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-18T05:52:53Z
publishDate 2022-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Environmental Science
spelling doaj.art-21e0dea476d94673a8d795865bee37822022-12-21T21:18:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2022-03-011010.3389/fenvs.2022.846742846742Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration CitiesXiaoyi ZhangRui ZhangMeilin ZhaoYue WangXue ChenThe new energy demonstration city policy is a significant pilot measure to promote the transition of China’s energy system, aiming at developing new, green, and low-carbon sources of energy. In this paper, the Non-radial Directional Distance Function (NDDF) was adopted to calculate the Energy-Carbon Performance Index (ECPI) of Chinese 182 cities, for measuring the Energy-Carbon Performance (ECP) level of each city. On this basis, it is possible to empirically analyse the impact that the policy orientation of constructing new energy demonstration cities has had on urban energy carbon performance by using a combination of Propensity Score Matching and Difference-in-Difference. Moreover, a mediating effect model is utilised to test the mediating effect of technological innovation. The results show that the new energy demonstration city policy can significantly improve the ECP. Technological innovation has a partial mediating effect between the policy orientation of new energy demonstration city construction and ECP, which accounts for 12.92% of the total effect. Optimising the industrial structure, improving the level of economic development, increasing carbon sink resources, and attracting foreign direct investment all have significant impacts on the improvement of China’s ECP, while the urbanisation process has an inhibitory effect on the improvement of ECP. Heterogeneity analysis shows that policy orientation has a better driving effect on eastern cities and western cities in promoting the improvement of ECP. The policy implications of this paper are that 1) The government should expand the scope of new energy city pilots in an orderly manner; 2) The lasting and long-term influence of policy orientation on ECP should make use of technological innovation intermediary channels; 3) Support policies are supposed to formulate according to local conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.846742/fullnew energy demonstration city policytechnological innovationECPPSM-DIDmediating effect model
spellingShingle Xiaoyi Zhang
Rui Zhang
Meilin Zhao
Yue Wang
Xue Chen
Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration Cities
Frontiers in Environmental Science
new energy demonstration city policy
technological innovation
ECP
PSM-DID
mediating effect model
title Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration Cities
title_full Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration Cities
title_fullStr Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration Cities
title_full_unstemmed Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration Cities
title_short Policy Orientation, Technological Innovation and Energy-Carbon Performance: An Empirical Study Based on China’s New Energy Demonstration Cities
title_sort policy orientation technological innovation and energy carbon performance an empirical study based on china s new energy demonstration cities
topic new energy demonstration city policy
technological innovation
ECP
PSM-DID
mediating effect model
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.846742/full
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaoyizhang policyorientationtechnologicalinnovationandenergycarbonperformanceanempiricalstudybasedonchinasnewenergydemonstrationcities
AT ruizhang policyorientationtechnologicalinnovationandenergycarbonperformanceanempiricalstudybasedonchinasnewenergydemonstrationcities
AT meilinzhao policyorientationtechnologicalinnovationandenergycarbonperformanceanempiricalstudybasedonchinasnewenergydemonstrationcities
AT yuewang policyorientationtechnologicalinnovationandenergycarbonperformanceanempiricalstudybasedonchinasnewenergydemonstrationcities
AT xuechen policyorientationtechnologicalinnovationandenergycarbonperformanceanempiricalstudybasedonchinasnewenergydemonstrationcities