The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reduction
Prior studies document that the development of transportation infrastructure, particularly the rapid development of high-speed rail, plays a key role in transforming an economy towards a low-carbon development mode, for example by reducing carbon emissions in China and other countries. However, to d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1013060/full |
| _version_ | 1797996529231855616 |
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| author | Yu Chen Wenqing Chen Shan Chen |
| author_facet | Yu Chen Wenqing Chen Shan Chen |
| author_sort | Yu Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Prior studies document that the development of transportation infrastructure, particularly the rapid development of high-speed rail, plays a key role in transforming an economy towards a low-carbon development mode, for example by reducing carbon emissions in China and other countries. However, to date, the mechanisms and paths that link high-speed rail to carbon emission reduction remain ambiguous. The present study seeks to clarify this path by proposing the mediating role of entrepreneurship, arguing that the rapid cycle of people, capital, knowledge, and technology induced by high-speed rail would be integrated by entrepreneurs as new start-ups, leading to industry agglomeration, upgrading, and innovations. These consequences of entrepreneurship would further result in carbon emission reductions. Employing a unique dataset in China, we provide strong evidence for our arguments by setting China’s prefecture-level cities as the unit of analysis. The research conclusions are as follows: First, the launch of high-speed rail services has a positive effect on a city’s carbon emission reduction. Second, entrepreneurship plays a mediating role in the relationship between high-speed rail and carbon emission reduction. Third, the administrative approval system reform would strengthen the effect of high-speed rail on entrepreneurship. This study therefore clarifies the path through which high-speed rail leads to carbon emission reduction, and reconfirms the role of transportation development in achieving the goal of sustainable development towards carbon neutrality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:17:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de2e8b1f8ca4499aa527f09e02126504 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-665X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:17:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-de2e8b1f8ca4499aa527f09e021265042022-12-22T04:29:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2022-10-011010.3389/fenvs.2022.10130601013060The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reductionYu Chen0Wenqing Chen1Shan Chen2College of Economics and Management, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaCollege of Economics and Management, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaBusiness School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaPrior studies document that the development of transportation infrastructure, particularly the rapid development of high-speed rail, plays a key role in transforming an economy towards a low-carbon development mode, for example by reducing carbon emissions in China and other countries. However, to date, the mechanisms and paths that link high-speed rail to carbon emission reduction remain ambiguous. The present study seeks to clarify this path by proposing the mediating role of entrepreneurship, arguing that the rapid cycle of people, capital, knowledge, and technology induced by high-speed rail would be integrated by entrepreneurs as new start-ups, leading to industry agglomeration, upgrading, and innovations. These consequences of entrepreneurship would further result in carbon emission reductions. Employing a unique dataset in China, we provide strong evidence for our arguments by setting China’s prefecture-level cities as the unit of analysis. The research conclusions are as follows: First, the launch of high-speed rail services has a positive effect on a city’s carbon emission reduction. Second, entrepreneurship plays a mediating role in the relationship between high-speed rail and carbon emission reduction. Third, the administrative approval system reform would strengthen the effect of high-speed rail on entrepreneurship. This study therefore clarifies the path through which high-speed rail leads to carbon emission reduction, and reconfirms the role of transportation development in achieving the goal of sustainable development towards carbon neutrality.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1013060/fullcarbon emission reductionhigh-speed railentrepreneurshipadministration system reformtime-varying DID |
| spellingShingle | Yu Chen Wenqing Chen Shan Chen The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reduction Frontiers in Environmental Science carbon emission reduction high-speed rail entrepreneurship administration system reform time-varying DID |
| title | The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reduction |
| title_full | The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reduction |
| title_fullStr | The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reduction |
| title_full_unstemmed | The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reduction |
| title_short | The mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions reduction |
| title_sort | mediating role of entrepreneurship in the link between high speed rail and carbon emissions reduction |
| topic | carbon emission reduction high-speed rail entrepreneurship administration system reform time-varying DID |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1013060/full |
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