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Accompanying China's accession to the World Trade Organization, the rapid development of the Chinese economy has led to increasingly serious environmental issues. However, the inherent mechanisms underlying the impact of Environmental Information Disclosure (EID) policy and trade on the environmental effects of Chinese paper enterprises remain unclear in the context of the era's requirement for a resource-conserving and environmentally-friendly society. The pollution problem in the papermaking industry has received attention worldwide, and how to balance the environmental and development issues of papermaking enterprises is an urgent issue that needs to be solved in the academic community. This study explores the impact mechanisms of EID policy and trade on the environmental effects of enterprises from the perspective of financial constraints. Utilizing the PSM-DID model, the study investigates the moderating effects of financial constraints on the EID policy and import-export trade. The findings reveal that both external and internal financial constraints have negative, detrimental effects on the environmental effects of the EID policy and trade. These constraints impede research and development investment and technological upgrades, hinder productivity improvement, and hamper the realization of "regulatory and trade innovation effects". This study enriches our understanding of the mechanisms by which trade affects the environmental effects of Chinese paper enterprises and further identifies the impacts of Chinese EID policy and trade on pollution emissions by enterprises, providing a theoretical basis and practical foundation for the government in formulating financial, environmental, and trade policies. • Analyzing the environmental effects of Chinese paper enterprises from the perspective of financing constraints. • This study validated the research hypothesis using three micro databases. • This study decomposes the impact mechanism into three aspects: scale effects, technical effects, and structural effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's paper industry development is rapid, but the recycling rate of China's waste paper has been low all the time. Meanwhile, material flow analysis can help determine the flow of waste paper, and life cycle assessment (LCA) is the methodological framework for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, present study integrates these two methods into the model construction of China's waste paper recycling decision system. Present study constructs a benchmark model of China's waste paper recycling decision system in 2017, focusing on the impact of nonstandard waste paper recycling on the economic and environmental benefits of China's domestic waste paper recycling system. This model construction is followed by sensitivity analysis of the relevant parameters affecting the efficiency of the waste paper recycling system. Finally, present study forecasts the system's economic benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the context of integrating and regulating nonstandard recycling vendors. The results show that the economic benefit of China's waste paper recycling in 2017 is approximately 458.3 yuan/t and that the GHG emissions are 901.1 kgCO 2 eq. The standard recovery rate and nonstandard recovery acceptance rate will both have a significant impact on the system's economic benefits and improve the GHG emissions structure. In the context of integrating nonstandard recycling enterprises and individual recycling vendors, the economic benefits will rise to 3312.5 yuan/t in 2030, while GHG emissions will rise to 942.9 kgCO 2 eq. Present study can play a certain guiding role for policy makers in formulating waste paper recycling industry specifications and formulating relevant policies. • Present study constructs the life cycle framework of Chinese paper and paperboard by the combination of MFA and LCA. • Quantitative analysis of the economic benefits and GHG emissions generated by China's waste paper recycling system. • Sensitivity analysis on the main parameters of the economic and environmental benefits of the waste paper recycling system. • Benefits of China's waste paper recycling from 2018 to 2030 are evaluated by integrating nostandard and standard recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries worldwide consider solid waste collection and recycling necessary due to the recent emphasis on conservation of resources and environmental protection. Due to the constraints from resource depletion and the need for sustainable economic growth, solid waste recycling has become a critical issue in China. Several indigenous researchers in China have studied the potential benefits of solid waste recycling. However, most studies limited the environmental assessment of solid waste recycling to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and considered only one type of solid waste (paper or plastic). Therefore, the present study analyzed the energy (electricity) and environmental (GHG and air pollutant emissions) benefits of recycling steel, nonferrous metal, plastic, and paper wastes from 2005 to 2017 in China. The study used the formulation of model equations method to estimate the electrical energy and environmental benefits. Prominent findings show that the total amount of electricity saved by recycling solid waste from 2005 to 2017 was 3743.3 Mtce. On average, solid waste recycling during the period led to a 43.2% saving on electricity. Solid waste recycling avoided 4765.9 billion kg of carbon dioxide emission and 22.502 billion kg of methane emission. It was also found that the recycling of solid waste saved a total amount of 10,669.8 M kg of NO X emission but had a burden of −6263.2 M kg of VOCs emission on the environment. Solid waste recycling avoided the emission of CO 2 , CH 4 , NO X , and SO X, but the recycling of steel, plastics, and paper waste had negative impacts on the environment in terms of VOCs and PM emissions. Proper measures such as installing air pollution control devices should be put in place to minimize the emission of pollutants during the recycling of these solid wastes. • The energy and environmental benefits of solid waste recycling is assessed. • The formulation of model equations method was used for the assessment. • On average, the recycling of solid waste saved 43.2% of electricity. • Recycling of waste avoided a significant amount of GHG and air pollutant emissions. • Solid waste recycling had no essential benefit on the emission of VOCs and PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adequate protection of the environment is one of the hot spots of concern for all sectors of society due to severe environmental pollution. The solution to this issue is friendly management of the environment. With the rapid growth of Chinese Manufacturing SMEs for economic development, environmental pollution and abuse of resources are arising. To resolve these issues, Chinese manufacturing SMEs are accelerating the implementation of green innovation in their industries. However, it is a complex task that involves enterprise, government, and social considerations. Therefore, it is essential to identify the green drivers for this implementation. With a focus on China's current situation from previous research and views from experts, this study aims to investigate how Chinese Manufacturing Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are responding to resource misuse and environmental pollution by implementing green innovation, emphasising the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving environmental performance. This study primarily looks into the factors that influence the adoption of green innovations by analysing the growth paths of Chinese SMEs operating in highly polluting industries over a longer time frame than five years. Artificial Intelligence is a valuable tool for solving the issues of ecological degradation. A quantitative method has been implemented for the Chinese companies' samples from the deeply polluting industries for more than five years. The findings of this paper advise that the average board size, the governing board meetings, and organizational performance are positively connected with the Chinese firms' environmental process. Board independence and diversity of gender have irrelevant associations with ecological performance. A convenient threshold regression model has been used to accumulate the respondents' data. It also reveals that larger board sizes and more frequent governing board meetings are positively associated with improved environmental performance among these firms. The findings state the critical implications for the firm executives, policymakers, environmental activists, and regulators. This result supports the insight drained from the resource dependence, stakeholder, firm agency, and legitimacy theories. • The paper tackles severe environmental pollution and the need for eco-friendly management practices. • The paper emphasizes the need for these enterprises to adopt green innovation practices. • Implementing green innovation is a complex task requiring coordination between enterprises, government, and society. • The paper highlights AI's role as a valuable tool in addressing ecological degradation issues. • The research utilized a threshold regression model to analyse respondent data effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing a Carbon Peak Action Plan at the regional level requires comprehensive consideration of the developmental heterogeneity among different provinces, which is an effective pathway for China to realize the goal of carbon peak by 2030. However, there is currently no clear provincial roadmap for carbon peak, and existing studies on carbon peak pathways inadequately address provincial heterogeneity. Therefore, this paper employs the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model to decompose assess 8 factors influencing carbon emissions of 30 provinces. According to scenario analysis, the paper explores the differentiated pathways for provincial carbon peaks based on policy expectation indicators (including population, economy, and urbanization rate) and comprises policy control indicators (including the energy structure, energy efficiency, industrial structure, transportation structure, and innovation input). The results indicate that population, per capita GDP, urbanization rate, and innovation input are the primary factors for influencing (negatively) the growth of carbon emissions. In contrast, the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure, energy intensity, energy structure, and transportation structure have mitigating effects on carbon emissions, especially for the first two factors. The forecasting results reveal that robust regulations of the energy and industry can effectively accelerate carbon peak at a reduced magnitude. If developed at BAU, China cannot achieve carbon peak by 2030, continuing an upward trend. However, by maximizing the adjustment strength of energy and industrial transformation within the scope of provincial capabilities, China could achieve carbon peak as early as 2025, with a peak of 12.069 billion tons. In this scenario, 24 provinces could achieve carbon peak before 2030. Overall, this study suggests the feasibility of differentiated pathway to achieve carbon peaks in China, exploring the carbon peak potential and paths of 30 provinces, and identifying provinces where carbon peak is more challenging. It also provides a reference for the design of carbon peak roadmaps at both provincial and national levels and offers targeted recommendations for the implementation of differentiated policy strategies for the government. [Display omitted] • Exploring the national carbon peaking path from a provincial perspective. • Expanding the STIRPAT model combined with scenario analysis to study provinces. • Adjusting industry and reducing energy intensity are key to carbon control. • China can achieve carbon peak as early as 2025, with a peak of 12.069 billion tons. • Research on carbon peaking pathway based on provincial heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between digital transformation(DT) and environmental, social, and governance(ESG) greenwashing using Chinese listed companies as a sample from 2012 to 2022. Furthermore, it analyzes the enterprise and regional heterogeneity as well as the influencing mechanisms on this relationship. The research results indicate that corporate digital transformation significantly inhibits ESG greenwashing, with a more pronounced effect on companies in non-high-pollution industries, high-tech industries, and the eastern region. In addition, mechanism tests reveal that internal control and financing constraints play a partial mediating role. Digital transformation suppresses ESG greenwashing by enhancing the quality of internal control and alleviating financing constraints. The primary contribution of this paper lies in demonstrating that digital transformation can serve as a strategic tool to mitigate ESG greenwashing. This enriches the research on the outcomes of digital transformation as well as the factors influencing ESG greenwashing. The conclusions of this paper provide theoretical foundations and policy recommendations for better ESG development by enterprises and governments in emerging markets. At the same time, this paper has a certain guiding role for the introduction and implementation of policies to encourage digital transformation. • This study examines the relationship between digital transformation (DT) and corporate greenwashing behavior in the context of ESG. • The study reveals that corporate digital transformation significantly inhibits greenwashing behavior in the ESG domain. • The inhibitory effect of digital transformation is more pronounced in non-polluting enterprises, high-tech enterprises, and companies located in the central-western region. • The internal control level and financing constraints of enterprises play a partial mediating role, indicating that digital transformation suppresses greenwashing by enhancing internal control and alleviating financing constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of China's efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development, the solid waste treatment industry's environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) performance is receiving significant attention. To comprehensively assess the ESG performance of the solid waste treatment industry and identify company types, this study constructs a targeted ESG evaluation index system based on existing literature, SASB industry standards, and company reports and utilizes a random forest approach combined with K-means clustering to determine indicator weights. Based on this index system, the paper evaluates the ESG performance of 71 solid waste disposal companies (SWDCs) from 2013 to 2021 and identifies their ESG types from static and dynamic perspectives. In the static view, company types are determined based on annual ESG performance, while the dynamic view considers time-series changes to observe the evolution of company ESG types. The results show that the overall ESG performance of SWDCs falls within the 2-8-point range, indicating a noticeable high-low imbalance. Key initiatives to improve ESG performance in this industry include enhancing waste management measures, developing emergency plans, and reinforcing ESG disclosure. From a static perspective, this paper can identify companies into three categories: delayed development, single-wheel-driven, and coordinated development. Finally, from a dynamic perspective considering the time factor, companies are further subdivided into five types: continual leading, growth catch-up, slow progress, fluctuating change, and retrogressive inertia. This study not only provides targeted recommendations for different types of ESG companies but also helps various sectors of society better understand the ESG conditions of this high environmental risk industry, thereby enhancing the regulation and support for its sustainable development. [Display omitted] • ESG evaluation index system for solid waste disposal companies is proposed. • A random forest method based on k-means clustering is used to construct the index. • Comparing E, S, and G scores with industry averages to identify static ESG types. • Analyzing trends in annual static ESG types to identify dynamic ESG types. • Identify companies as three static ESG types and five dynamic ESG types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of carbon neutrality target, renewable energy sources have been transforming from "supplementary energy" to "main energy", which have promoted the green and low-carbon transition of global energy supply system. In-depth analyzing the spatial patterns and driving mechanisms of renewable energy expansion are of significance for optimizing the spatial layout of clean power, and avoiding the phenomenon of wind and solar power curtailment. In this paper, we proposed an ensemble learning model to examine the nonlinear effects of physical geography, resource endowment, and socio-economic factors on solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity at the prefecture-level city scale in China. Using the city-level multi-sources geospatial big data, we extensively collected a total of 175 related explanatory variables and cumulative installed capacity of solar PV power for 295 prefecture-level cities of China. The recursive feature elimination algorithm (SVM-REF) is firstly used to extract the optimal feature subset of urban PV capacity from multi-dimensional features variables. Furthermore, three advanced machine learning models (random forest, decision tree, extreme gradient boosting) are developed to identify the key influencing factors and nonlinear driving effect of urban solar PV power expansion in China. The results show that China's PV installation capacity is highly concentrated in Northern and Northwest parts of China, with the occupancy over 70% in 2019. Moreover, the XGBoost model has the best prediction accuracy (R2 = 0.97) among three methods. We also found that total amount of urban water resources, average solar radiation, and population density are the most important controlling factors for urban solar PV capacity expansion in China, with contribution of 35.6%, 17.7%, and 13.3%, respectively. We suggested that urban solar PV layout mode in China is recommended to gradually shift from resource orientation to the "resource-environment-demand" comprehensive orientation. The paper provides a replicable, scalable machine learning models for simulating solar PV power capacity at the prefecture-level city scale, and serves as a motivation for decision-making reference of the macro siting optimization and sustainable development of China's green power industry. • This study examines the impact of high-dimensional features variables on urban solar energy development. • Over 70% of solar PV installation capacity is concentrated in Northern and Northwest parts of China. • Water resources, solar radiation, population density have significant impact on solar PV distribution. • Solar PV distribution in China should shift from resource orientation to the comprehensive orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employment creation and climate change mitigation are core tasks for achieving sustainable development goals. Whether or not carbon mitigation policy facilitate employment deserves deep exploration. Through the construction of multi-regional dynamic computable general equilibrium model (CGE) with more scientific energy & environment block, this paper first evaluates regional employment effects of the national emission trading scheme (ETS) in China. Furthermore, we explore the Okun's law of the national ETS based on the mediating effect model. The results show that whether in carbon-intensive industries (CIIs) or non-carbon-intensive industries (NCIIs), employment effects of the national ETS are differentiated across regions. Specifically, the national ETS generally promotes CIIs' employment in Southern, Eastern, Middle Yangtze River and Southwest regions, and has negative effects on CIIs' employment in other regions. Meanwhile, the national ETS brings employment creation to NCIIs of Southern region, while there are opposite results in NCIIs of Northeast region and mixed results in NCIIs of other regions. Moreover, the Okun's law of the national ETS holds in CIIs of each region, but it not fits the data for NCIIs. Therefore, it is important for the Chinese government to consider the differentiated employment effects in different regions carefully rather than adopt one-size-fit-all solution when constructing the national carbon market. [Display omitted] • Multi-regional dynamic CGE model is constructed for investigate. • The carbon emission accounting method in this paper is more scientific. • This paper focuses on employment effects of the national ETS at regional level. • Almost all regions would unavoidably witness more or less employment losses. • The Okun's law of the national ETS does not always hold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cope with global climate risks, promoting energy transformation has become a global consensus. China issued a reform policy in 2010 to promote the convergence of the three major information industries, namely broadcasting and television networks, telecommunications networks and the Internet (TPR policy). However, is the convergence of information industries able to promote energy transition? This study constructs a quasi-natural experimental framework using China's TPR policy as a representative case of industrial convergence. Using city-level panel data between 2003 and 2016 in China and a multi-period difference-in-differences model, this study examines the impact of TPR policy on energy transition. The results show that TPR policy positively contributes to energy transition at a 1% significance level. Extensive robustness tests support this finding. This positive effect is particularly evident in regions with less developed communications infrastructure and stricter environmental regulations. Mechanism analysis suggests that TPR policy promotes energy transition by improving the level of information networks, promoting technological innovation, and optimizing industrial structure. The findings of this paper emphasize the importance of information industry convergence in facilitating energy transformation. • This paper examines the impact of TPR on energy transition by using a DID model. • TPR promotes energy transition at a 1% significance level. • TPR's effect shows heterogeneity in the level of communication and regulations. • Information level, innovation and industrial upgrading play a key role in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global low-carbon emission reduction, how to achieve green and high-quality development has become a major issue for the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government recently. Based on the data of China's listed companies from 2013 to 2020, this paper uses Python to implement text analysis of annual reports, and explores the relationship between political acuity and carbon-efficiency synergies (CES) from the perspective of enterprise initiative. We found that (1) political acuity positively affects carbon-efficiency synergies. (2) Increased political acuity can reduce carbon emissions, but the effect on economic efficiency is not obvious. That is, low carbon takes the lead in raising the level of carbon-efficiency synergies. (3) Environmental regulations can positively regulate the relationship between political acuity and carbon-efficiency synergies. (4) Political acuity in southern China, carbon neutral and non-state-owned enterprises (NSOEs) will have a more pronounced effect on carbon-efficiency synergies. From the perspective of the root causes of political linkages, we find the synergies between formal and informal institutions, and the key factors for policy implementation. This paper is helpful for enterprises to improve the synergies of emission reduction and efficiency promotion, and has practical implications for the government to promote green and high-quality development. • Assess the value of the low-carbon economy from its political roots. • We build a carbon-efficiency synergy evaluation system. • Political acuity and formal institutions are synergistic. • The influence of political acuity on CES can be replicated. • This paper expands the technical approach to low-carbon research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green innovation is important and beneficial for the green development of enterprises. The development of digital technology could improve the asymmetry of information and affect the enterprise's financing modes. Currently, a definitive conclusion about the relationship between the digital transformation and green technology innovation has not reached. Additionally, studies have not yet fully explored the impact pathways of corporate digital transformation on green innovation through corporate financing modes. To fill this void, this study collected data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2020. The empirical analysis results showed that digital transformation significantly enhanced enterprises' green innovation abilities. Furthermore, mediating models were utilized to explore how enterprise financing modes mediate the impact of digital transformation on the enterprise green innovation. Results indicated that through internal financing and bank loans as "bridges", digital transformation promoted enterprise green innovation. However, digital transformation did not have a significant impact on enterprise green innovation through venture capital. Moreover, heterogeneity analyses revealed significant differences among different groups of enterprises. This study expands the research field related to digital transformation and enterprise green innovation by providing empirical evidence to uncover the impact of digital transformation on enterprise green innovation. Findings of this study contribute not only to enterprise managerial decision-makers to better leverage digital transformation through corporate financing to accelerate green innovation, but also to government policymakers to design policies to stimulate enterprise green innovation. • Firstly, our paper empirically examines and validates the impact of digital transformation on enterprise green innovation again by using empirical data of biggest development counties, i.e., China. • Secondly, our paper combines enterprise digital transformation, financing modes, and green innovation within the same framework to study the "bridge" role of financing modes between digital transformation and enterprise green innovation. • Thirdly, Thirdly, heterogeneity analyses were carried out, the results of the different enterprises groups are significant different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Carbon peaking and carbon neutralization" is an important measure to promote China's ecological and environmental protection and high-quality economic development, and the innovation and application of green technology are critical factors in achieving the "double carbon" goal. Based on the number of citations of green patents of listed enterprises in 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020, this paper uses GGDP to replace traditional GDP and calculate carbon emission intensity. Based on the relevant panel data at the provincial level, this paper constructs a spatial Durbin model to analyze the impact mechanism of whether the promotion and application of green technologies promote regional carbon emission reduction. The specific research results are as follows: (1) Through regression of the core explanatory variables with a one-stage lag, it is verified that the promotion and application of green technology has a significant positive promoting effect on regional carbon emission reduction, and there are significant spatial spillover effects and "learning by doing" effects. (2) In the part of heterogeneity test, the impact of green technology promotion and application on carbon emission reduction presents apparent regional heterogeneity and factor endowment heterogeneity. (3) The mediating effect test verifies the mediating effect of energy structure and industrial structure on the influence of green technology promotion and application on regional carbon emission reduction. (4) In the part moderating effect test, it is verified that marketization level and new infrastructure construction have a positive moderating effect in their influencing process, financial development, and government support will weaken the influence of green technology promotion and application on carbon emission reduction effect, and human capital level has a nonlinear regulating effect. The research conclusions of this paper provide necessary enlightenment for the coordination and unification of China's economic transition to innovation-driven and green and low-carbon development. • The impact of GTPA on reduction in China was analyzed from a macro perspective. • The GS and FDL plays a negative moderating role in the influence process. • The HCL plays a nonlinear moderating role in the influence process. • The GTPA can significantly reduce regional CEI except in Western China. • Regions with high EDL and high GTI have better carbon reduction effects of GTPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High carbon emissions and population aging are two obstacles to China's development as an emerging economy. It is urgent to scientifically examine the impacts of population aging on carbon emissions to discover new pathways for urban carbon emission reduction. However, existing studies face challenges in terms of focusing on and methodology for accurately capturing the role of industrial production and energy consumption in the environmental effects of population aging. This paper constructs a chain mediation analytical framework and systematically examines the intrinsic linkages between population aging and carbon emissions in Chinese cities from 2000 to 2020 using a two-way fixed effects model. This paper has three main findings. (1) The positive correlation between urban population aging and carbon emissions development is generally low, with coupling coordination degree values of 0.4233, 0.4458, 0.4220, 0.4715, and 0.4665 for each yearly cross-section. (2) For every 1% increase in the population aging rate, carbon emissions decrease by 0.3478% on average. The carbon reduction effect of population aging is significantly greater in low-emissions cities and high-income cities than in other cities. (3) The industrial upgrading (IU) path, energy conservation (EC) path and chain mediation (CM) path account for 72.43%, 7.23% and 20.34%, respectively, of the indirect effects. If the causal link between IU and EC is not considered, the EC effect will be overestimated by 281.16%. The results of the study suggest that properly coping with population aging and reducing carbon emissions are not completely opposed to each other, a conclusion that passes both endogeneity exclusion and robustness check. This paper advocates replacing the one-size-fits-all approach in carbon emissions management and investing more in policy preferences to support carbon emission reduction in both high-emissions and low-income cities. [Display omitted] •The synergistic trends of carbon emissions and population aging are not apparent. •Population aging significantly reduces carbon emissions at the city scale. •Linkage effect of industrial upgrading and energy conservation on carbon emission reduction. •Energy conservation effect of population aging amplified by industrial upgrading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact investing literature largely focuses on private equity investing and overlooks the investments made through debt financing that actually dominate the market. To address this research gap, this paper investigates whether impact financing is associated with financial benefits. By using COVID-19 as an exogenous shock to China's stock market, this paper applies fixed effects panel data analysis with a difference-in-differences research design to provide robust empirical outcomes. The results reveal those financial institutions that better integrated environmental impacts into their financing process experienced positive stock return changes in response to the shock. This study answers the question of how well an impact scales. The findings suggest that impact financing is an effective model, as the impacts incorporated in the debt can be scaled up compared to impact investing funds with low volumes. Impact financing has enormous potential for financial institutions to engage in the green transition since they can derive pecuniary utility while delivering environmental impacts. The revelation of financial benefits also contributes to overcoming the lack of knowledge about impact financing and helps to remove the barriers that advance industry growth. • This paper studies whether impact financing is associated with financial benefits. • Financial firms that better integrate environmental impact in financing have positive stock return changes during COVID-19. • Financial firms can derive pecuniary utility from pursuing impact financing. • The findings suggest that impact financing can be an effective model to bring impact to a substantial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the global context, countries must reduce carbon dioxide emissions to "net zero" by 2050 to limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. China's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve the carbon neutrality target by 2060. To monitor the achievements of the NDCs, establishing an annual-based accounting mechanism is necessary to record the carbon stocks in China, especially for Blue Carbon. The paper aims to present China's first national-scale systematic Blue Carbon accounting for mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses, covering the accounting subjects of physical and monetary assets, as well as relevant indicators for investors. It focuses on the design of the accounting method and system, the selection of data categories applied to this system, and the application of China's Blue Carbon accounting based on this accounting system. Taking Blue Carbon accounting as a starting point, this paper analyses the restoration prospects of these ecosystems and their application potential for NDCs in China compared with the terrestrial ecosystems. The results indicate that mangroves are the most cost-effective type of ecosystem, even compared to terrestrial forests. Thus, the paper provides policymakers with a new perspective on the decision-making of carbon sequestration relevant decisions, aiming to promote the monitoring, restoration, and expansion of China's coastal blue carbon ecosystem through the establishment of a sound Blue Carbon accounting system, and to help achieve the carbon neutrality goal in China's NDCs through regular and systematic monitoring of its national Blue Carbon inventories. • China's coastal blue carbon ecosystems are carbon sources rather than carbon sinks. • Mangroves are the most cost-effective coastal blue carbon ecosystem compared to salt marshes and seagrass beds. • The Blue Carbon of mangroves is more cost-effective than the Green Carbon of terrestrial forests when meeting China's Nationally Determined Contributions target of increasing forest stocks. • Establishing guidelines for Blue Carbon data requirements will lay a scientific foundation for formulating strategies and policies to cope with global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the green economy efficiency (GEE) is crucial for building a sustainable economy. How can the rapidly advancing digital transformation contribute to this process? The paper empirically examines the direct and spatial spillover effects of digital transformation on cities' GEE in China. This study utilizes the National E-commerce Pilot City (NEPC) policy as a quasi-natural experiment of regional digital transformation and employs the staggered difference-in-differences (DID) method with heterogeneous effects. The findings reveal that (i) implementing the NEPC policy significantly increases urban GEE by 2.6%, corresponding to a 16% increase in the mean of GEE. This effect is particularly pronounced in non-resource-based cities and cities with high Internet penetration. (ii) The mechanism test shows that the pilot policy positively affects GEE by promoting green structural transformation, enhancing green innovation, and strengthening public environmental concerns. (iii) The study highlights a positive spatial spillover effect of the NEPC policy on the GEE of nonpilot cities. (iv) The adoption of the NEPC plays a pivotal role in advancing energy use and carbon emission efficiency. This paper expands the existing knowledge on the green development effects of the digital economy while offering valuable policy insights for building an "Inclusive Green Economy". [Display omitted] • The staggered differences-in-differences method is employed to examine the direct and spatial spillover effects of NEPC on cities' GEE in China. • This paper uses NEPC as a quasi-experiment for digital transformation. • NEPC significantly improves green economic efficiency by 2.6%. • Green structural transformation, innovation, and environmental concerns are main channels. • Positive spillover effect of NEPC on green economy efficiency in non-pilot cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building a marine ecological security shelter (MESS) has become the main strategy to adapt marine ecological threats in China. As China's marine policy lacks a robust framework document, it is necessary to consider whether the policy system can effectively support the construction of MESS. However, the linkage between the construction measures of MESS and related policies is not clear. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to clarify the concept of MESS and its connection with policy, by adopting the policy content analysis method to analyze the evolution process of MESS-related policy system. The legislative shortcomings and implementation obstacles of the MESS-related policy system are then summarized and discussed. The results show that from 1981 to 2021 the MESS-related policy system has been continuously improved. However, the policy system's support and guarantee capacity for building MESS still needs to be improved. (1) Due to the lack of basic laws and special laws, the coordination among governance subjects and among policies lacks legislative guarantee. (2) The construction of MESS continues the inter-regional and inter-department administrative barriers in collaborative governance of marine environment. To establish an effective collaborative governance model, it is essential to improve the governance structure and mechanism. (3) The government-led governance pattern faces the problem of mechanism failure. The command and control instrument accounts for more than 82%, and the public and enterprises lack strong policy guarantees to participate in marine governance. (4) The policy system's adaptability to emerging threats must be improved. Marine policies rarely involve emerging threats such as climate change and new pollutants. Meanwhile, the real-time supervision and monitoring mechanism is weak. The real-time supervision is only accounting for about 10%. Generally speaking, as a complex and long-term system engineering, the construction of MESS will inevitably encounter contradictions in politics, culture, and economy. China should deepen the construction of marine ecological civilization and form a governance concept based on ecosystems. Overall, this paper helps to understand the internal connection between MESS and policy comprehensively and provides a new perspective for improving China's marine governance capacity. [Display omitted] • We conduct a content analysis of 403 Chinese marine ecological security policies. • The policy instruments are mainly regulatory but lack flexibility and precision. • The policy implementation lacks assurance for poor governance mechanisms. • The policy system lacks adaptiveness to climate change and new pollutants. • The study provides ideas to enhance climate change adaptation of marine governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposal of the dual carbon goal and the blue economy in China has sparked a keen interest in carbon emissions reduction from sewage treatment. Carbon accounting in urban sewage plants serves as the foundation for carbon emission reduction in sewage treatment. This paper re-evaluated carbon accounting in the operational processes for urban sewage treatment plants to develop a novel carbon emission evaluation model for anaerobic-anoxic-oxic treatment plants. The results show that the carbon emissions generated by non-carbon dioxide gases far exceed the carbon emissions from carbon dioxide alone. Moreover, the recycling of sewage leads to carbon emissions reduction that offsets the carbon emissions generated during the operation of the sewage plant. Also, the carbon emissions generated by sewage treatment plants are lower than those generated by untreated sewage. The findings and insights provided in this paper provide valuable references for carbon accounting and the implementation of low-carbon practices in urban sewage treatment plants. [Display omitted] • A novel carbon emission evaluation model for AAO treatment plants was proposed. • Mechanical processes generated higher carbon emissions than energy and chemicals. • The determination of direct and indirect emissions of CO 2 from sewage plants. • Sewage recycling can offset carbon emissions from the operation of sewage plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate water performance and sustainable development are currently vital focus areas for scholars. Therefore, this paper investigates the experience of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) with water shortage influences corporate water performance by focusing on listed companies in water-intensive and high-water-risk industries in China between 2014 and 2019. This paper manually collected information relative to the cities and provinces where CEOs grew up to evaluate their early exposure to water shortages. Furthermore, this paper develops an evaluation scale, based on the Enterprise Water Conservation Evaluation Guide (GB/T 7119-2006), to compute the enterprise water management practices scores. These results will constitute the enterprise water performance evaluation score. Moreover, this paper focuses on CEOs who have experienced water resource shortages through a positive impact on the water resource performance of their companies. As for the findings, they demonstrate that CEOs who grew up in regions with higher water scarcity have a more pronounced positive effect on their water shortage experience through corporate water performance. Furthermore, CEO power intensity positively moderates the relationship between the CEO's water shortage experience and corporate water resource performance. Further investigation reveals generational differences in the impact of CEO water shortage experience on company water performance. CEOs, who grew up during periods with a higher incidence of droughts, demonstrate a more significant promoting effect on corporate water performance. To sum up, this study expands the understanding of factors influencing corporate water resource performance and deepens the knowledge of the early life experiences of CEOs. • We construct a set of scales to measure corporate water performance. • We explore the relationship between CEO water shortage experience and corporate water resource performance. • CEO water shortage experience has a positive effect on corporate water performance. • CEO power intensity plays a positive moderating role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rapid economic development in recent decades has come at a considerable environmental cost. This paper explores whether atmospheric quality monitoring policy (AQMP) improves eco-efficiency by using AQMP as a natural experimental group. We assessed the eco-efficiency of 285 cities in China from 2009 to 2019 using the super-efficient SBM model and estimated the impact of AQMP using the propensity score method Difference-in-Difference (PSM-DID) model. The key findings of this paper are as follows: First, AQMP can enhance eco-efficiency, promoting sustainable urban development. Second, governmental and non-governmental organizations play contrasting roles in either fostering or reversing the positive effects of AQMP. Factors like innovation, clean energy adoption, and industrial structure have a positive mediating influence. Finally, the impact of AQMP on eco-efficiency varies across cities, displaying heterogeneity. Specifically, AQMP has a positive effect on eco-efficiency in resource-rich cities, small and medium-sized urban centers, smart cities, and coastal areas. These findings carry significant implications for the establishment of dynamic monitoring networks and the advancement of eco-efficiency in emerging countries, including China. • Impact of atmospheric quality monitoring policy on eco-efficiency is discussed. • Governmental organizations promote the positive impacts of AQMP. • Non-governmental organizations reverse the positive impacts of AQMP. • Innovation, clean energy, and industrial structure have a positive mediating role. • The impact of AQMP on eco-efficiency has city heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantity-based and concentration-based limits are two common environmental permitting approaches utilized by government worldwide in environmental management. While existing literature is still unambiguous about roles played by quantity-based versus concentration-based limits in environmental management, it becomes evident that relying exclusively on concentration-based or quantity-based limits to control plant emissions may not necessarily result in improved environmental quality. This paper leverages a unique opportunity arising from a recent reform in China's Pollutant Emission Permit System (PEPS) initiated in 2016 to analyze how the introduction of quantity-based limits in addition to concentration-based limits through the PEPS reform impact emissions at the plant level. Utilizing a unique plant-level continuous emission monitoring system data collected from Shaanxi Province (located in western China), the paper finds a significant reduction in air pollutant emissions as a result of the PEPS reform (nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 39%, sulfur dioxide (SO 2) by 15% and particulate matter (PM) by 13%). The heterogeneity analyses show emission reductions in plants differ across those with varying quantity limits specified in their permits, distinct emission ratios and diverse ownership structures. Furthermore, plants that fall under the classified management system with more stringent regulations imposed, especially those operating in high-pollution sectors, situated within industrial parks, or classified as large-sized plants, attain higher pollutant quantity limits. Findings of the paper carry important implications for effective environmental management, particularly within developing countries, and shed some light on carbon emission reduction policies in China. [Display omitted] • Quantity-based limits reduce air pollutant emissions significantly. • Distinct behaviors observed in air and water pollutants. • Varied quantity limits and emission ratios influence emission behavior. • State-owned plants show better emission reduction under quantity limits. • Stricter regulations could allow higher quantity limits for plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global carbon emission problem is getting more and more serious, the European Union has proposed the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to prevent carbon leakage, which will have an impact on China's foreign trade. Based on this background and the problems of current research that ignores factors such as commodity prices, long-term impacts, intertemporal substitution analysis, and changes in national strategies for foreign exports, this paper propose a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model based on an evolutionary game as a dynamic recursive basis to study the impact of the CBAM on the Chinese manufacturing industry. For the industries mentioned in the CBAM, 18 affected sectors are collated, and a CGE model containing multiple blocks such as production, trade, and carbon emissions is built. Meanwhile, we establish an evolutionary game model with EU suppliers, manufacturers, and the government, allowing Chinese suppliers to compete with EU suppliers. Based on the above model, the impact of carbon tariff policies from 2020 to 2050 is studied. The results indicate that under the intra-EU competition condition, carbon tariffs will reduce the price of Chinese exports and slightly decrease China's real GDP, as well as the carbon emission intensity of 18 sectors and fossil energy. However, the impact of carbon tariffs on overall carbon emissions is small and is essentially a protective policy. In addition, the evolutionary game-based CGE model takes into account the dynamic strategies of both sides and is therefore less affected by carbon tariff shocks and recovers more quickly and more realistically. Finally, the article argues that the advantage of carbon tariffs for local suppliers is unsustainable and Chinese suppliers will still dominate, and local suppliers need more subsidies from the EU government. On the other hand, the Chinese government needs to implement a stricter carbon tax regime and export subsidies to improve the competitiveness of Chinese products in terms of green levels and price advantages. The purpose of this paper is to examine the quantitative impacts of CBAM on China's related manufacturing industries and strategies to maximize the benefits to both governments. • A new dynamic recursive approach to CGE is proposed that uses evolutionary games. • The strategy of the importing country is taken into account in the CGE model and is changed according to the multi-stage game strategy to simulate reality better. • The influencing factors of export commodity prices are explored, including the effects of consumer sensitivity, green input coefficients, and carbon emission rights prices. • The impact of CBAM on the income and savings of firms in 18 sectors in China to 2050 was studied. • The impact of CBAM on the carbon intensity of China's fossil energy sources, Coal, Oil, and Gas, the carbon intensity of enterprises in 18 sectors, and the national carbon emissions to 2050 were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As alternatives for legacy brominated flame retardants, novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) have a wide array of applications in the electronic and electrical fields. The shift of recycling modes of electronic and electrical waste (e-waste) from informal recycling family workshop to formal recycling facilities might come with the change the chemical landscape emitted including NBFRs, however, little information is known about this topic. This study investigated the occurrence characteristics, distribution, and exposure profiles of eight common NBFRs and their derivatives in an e-waste recycling industrial park in central China and illustrated the differences in various functional zones in the recycling park. The highest level of ΣNBFRs in dust samples was found in e-waste storage area at median concentration of 27,400 ng/g, followed by e-waste dismantling workshops (23,300 ng/g), workshop outdoor area (7770 ng/g), and residential area outdoor (536 ng/g). In the e-waste dismantling associated dust samples, tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) (TBBPA-BDBPE), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and 2,4,6-tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine (TTBP-TAZ) were the predominant components. This paper presented the first evidence regarding the occurrence characteristic and distribution of tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS), tetrabromobisphenol A bismethyl ether (TBBPA-BME) and tetrabromobisphenol S bis(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) (TBBPS-BDBPE) in the e-waste associated dust samples. By comparing with previous studies performed in China, this paper also noticed the significant decrease of TBBPA concentrations in the dust probably due to the shift of e-wastes sources and recycling modes. We further assessed the risk of occupational workers exposure to NBFRs. The median E DI (estimated daily intake) value of ΣNBFRs among e-waste dismantling workers was 9.71 ng/kg BW/d with the maximum E DI value being 19.6 ng/kg BW/d, hundreds of times higher than those exposed by general population. The study raises great concern for the health risk of occupational exposure to NBFRs in the e-waste recycling industrial park. • TBBPA-BDBPE, TBBPA, and TTBP-TAZ were detected at high levels in the dust from various functional zones in the e-waste recycling industrial park. • TBBPS, TBBPA-BME and TBBPS-BDBPE were also found in the dust samples from the e-waste recycling industrial park. • The risk of occupational and general dust exposure to the eight NBFRs were assessed. • Exposure doses of occupational workers to NBFRs were significantly higher than general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is not only an efficient way to ensure energy independence and security but also supports the transition to a low carbon economy and society. The progress of renewable energy technological innovation is an important factor that influences the development of renewable energy. An in-depth analysis of the driving factors that influence this progress is crucial to China's energy transition. Based on Chinese provincial data over 2000–2015 and panel data models, this paper regards the CO 2 emissions as climate change and explores the response of renewable energy technological innovation to intensive CO 2 emissions. We also analyze the effect of the driving factors such as energy price and R&D investment on this innovation process. The main conclusions drawn are: (1) There are significant differences in technological innovation levels across China's provinces. (2) We observe that the intensive CO 2 emissions have promoted renewable energy technological innovation level, meaning that innovation process responds actively to climate changes. (3) R&D investment from government and enterprise both are conducive for promoting the innovation level. (4) Energy price has an insignificant effect on innovation in renewable energy technologies and we attribute this to the unreasonable energy price mechanism. This paper provides clear evidence for understanding the role of innovation on climate change. • The drivers of the renewable energy technological innovation are explored. • There are significant differences in technological innovation across provinces. • Renewable energy technological innovation responds actively to climate changes. • R&D investment is conducive for promoting the technological innovation levels. • The government should give full play to the role of the energy price mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An emission permit system (EPS) is a fixed-source environmental management system that is widely practiced worldwide. Since 2016, China has been building a fixed-source environmental management system with the EPS as its core. This paper summarizes the evolutionary process of China's EPS over the past 40 years considering four main stages: embryonic stage, local pilot stage, total emission control-based exploration stage, and reform stage of the core management system. This paper notes that China initially established a system of laws and technical specifications for emission permits, and emission permits are clearly becoming a mainstream trend in fixed-source management. The paper argues that there are still four problems in the current EPS reform (i.e., insufficient support of laws and regulations, poor integration of the EPS with other systems, unscientific design of the EPS, and insufficient implementation capacity after permit allocation). This paper puts forward 7 suggestions for further EPS reform, e.g., accelerating the formulation of the regulations on the EPS, strengthening the coordination with other fixed-source systems, improving the technical support system for the EPS, establishing a database system for emission permits, building a scientific and reasonable allocation method, improving the autonomy of pollutant monitoring in enterprises, and increasing information disclosure and public participation. The results may more accurately evaluate China's EPS in China's environmental protection system, provide scientific support for the promotion and development of the ongoing EPS reform and environmental management systems. The results may promote the development of pollution prevention, and an improvement in the environmental quality in China, and offer scientific guidance and reference for other countries to implement their own EPS. • This paper summarizes evolutionary process of China's EPS over the past 40 years. • There are 4 reform achievements and 4 reform problems of current China's EPS. • This paper puts forward 7 further reform suggestions for the China's EPS. • The results offer scientific support for promotion and development of EPS reform. • The results offer scientific guidance and reference for the EPS in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's critical for environmental governance to understand the effectiveness of various policy interventions as well as their working mechanisms. This paper focuses on the campaign-style enforcement, a sort of policy intervention understudied in environmental governance literature. Specifically, we study the central environmental protection inspection (CEPI), an unprecedented environmental campaign recently launched by the central authority of China. Apart from the dominant recoupling perspective that emphasized the role of environmental campaign in addressing decoupling problems, we assert in this paper that CEPI could serve as strong external stimulus that help to overcome various root problems in environmental governance system and therefore engender long-term improvements for environmental performance. Empirically, based on the city-day air pollution data, difference-in-difference (DID) model with multiple treatment periods was applied to estimate both the short- and long-term policy effects of CEPI. We found that CEPI did has positive effects on improving environmental performance. Moreover, this positive policy effect, rather than fading away after CEPI, bumped up and persisted in the aftermath of the inspection. These findings imply that campaign-style enforcement, when properly used, could be an effective tool for policymakers to improve environmental performance. • Central Environmental Protection Inspection is a new type of campaign-style enforcement in China. • DID model with multiple treatment periods is used to estimate the policy effects. • Central Environmental Protection Inspection has a positive role in environmental governance. • The positive effects bumped up and persisted in the post-inspection periods. • Campaign-style enforcement could serve as an effective tool to reform environmental governance when properly applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our paper focuses on how firms strategically respond to environmental regulations on environmental actions. Given the greater discretion in environmental information disclosure and relaxed environmental regulations enforcement in China, we propose that firms tend to say more while do less to obtain environmental legitimacy, namely corporate environmental actions decoupling. Using a sample of 5422 Chinese firm-year observations over the period of 2012–2018, we document that stringent environmental regulations contribute to a significant inconsistency between environmental reporting and actual environmental performance. Moreover, we demonstrate that this inconsistency is exacerbated when firms possess greater bargaining power and fewer financial resources. Our paper not only advances the understanding of how firms navigate external regulations by examining the tradeoffs between symbolic and substantive actions, but also sheds light on factors influencing decoupling/greenwashing practices from the perspective of government-business relations in China, and potentially in other emerging economies. • Firms tend to say more while do less to obtain environmental legitimacy. • Greater bargaining power amplifies the disparity between reporting and performance. • Limited financial resources promote corporate environmental actions decoupling. • Legitimacy theory is more applicable to guide environmental practices in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aggravation of global warming and the increasing demand for energy, the development of renewable energy is imminent. Floating photovoltaic (FPV) is a new form of renewable energy generation. However, the impact of FPV on the aquatic environment is still unclear. By long-term empirical monitoring and data analysis, this paper reveals the shading effect of large-scale FPV power station on aquatic environment for the first time. The results show that: (1) Compared with the non-photovoltaic (NP) zone, FPV only significantly reduces the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the photovoltaic (P) zone. (2) The concentration of chlorophyll a , nitrate nitrogen and total phosphorus increase, while pH and ammonia nitrogen decrease. FPV only causes an effect of the same order of magnitude as the initial concentration, and has no significant adverse effects on the nutritional status of the water body at a coverage ratio less than 50%. (3) FPV has a cooling effect on the water body during the daytime and a thermal insulation effect at night, with the most pronounced impact on peak water temperature (T w). The heating and cooling process of T w in P zone usually lags behind the NP zone by 1–3 h. The diurnal fluctuation and vertical difference of T w as well as the stability of water body are reduced under the shading of FPV, alleviating the influence of climate change on T w and water body stratification. (4) If 10% of the water area larger than 1 km2 in China are used to develop FPV, more than 900 million tons of CO 2 emissions can be reduced, and about 5 billion m3 water can be saved, which is significant in the context of climate change. In general, this paper provides a reference for the future aquatic environmental impact assessment of FPV and the formulation of related policies. • The impact of FPV on aquatic environment has been assessed. • The scale effect of FPV and impact of "fish-photovoltaic integration" are revealed. • Spatial-temporal and object specificity of impact on aquatic environment is reviewed. • The responds of FPV to the challenges of global climate change are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is an inevitable negative environmental externality in the process of industrialization and urbanization in countries around the world. Land misallocation in the process of urbanization and industrialization and the resulting urban sprawl exacerbates the above problems. As a major country in the stage of rapid urbanization and industrialization, China also faces severe air pollution problems. Therefore, this paper will systematically study the impact of land misallocation and urban sprawl on air pollution. We first set up the utility maximization problem of each economic entity in the process of land misallocation in the mathematical model, and form a general equilibrium theory model to analyze the relationship between land misallocation, urban sprawl and air pollution, and then put forward the research hypotheses. We further use the big data of land market transactions of China Land Market Network and LandScan global population data to build the land misallocation index and urban sprawl index respectively, and use an extended mediating effect model to empirically test the hypotheses. The results suggest that the effect of land misallocation on air pollution is significantly positive, and the impact of land misallocation on urban sprawl largely depends on the return rate of land relative to labor (RRIRL). When the RRIRL is relatively low, the impact is weak, or even has a negative effect to some extent. At this time, low transportation costs are conducive to reducing air pollution. On the contrary, when the RRIRL is relatively high, land misallocation has a significant role in promoting urban sprawl. At this time, high traffic costs are conducive to reducing air pollution. In addition, we also find that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between urban sprawl and air pollution. When the urban sprawl level is low, its impact on air pollution increases with the increase of its level, but once it exceeds a specific node, the impact will decrease. Based on the characteristics of the relationship among land misallocation, urban sprawl and air pollution under different RRIRL, we summarize four environmentally friendly urban development paths. We bring the land bid rent theory and environmental pollution research into a same theoretical model framework, which provides a modeling idea and research perspective with a micro-foundation for subsequent research on land misallocation. We integrate the research conclusions of existing literature and unify them under the research frameworks concerning different RRIRL in the empirical results, which greatly improving their applicability. The four urban development paths summarized in this paper will also provide inspiration for future researchers and policy makers. • We posit that urban sprawl is an important intermediate mechanism by which land misallocation affects air pollution. • We build a general equilibrium framework. • Land misallocation leads to an increase in air pollutant concentrations. • Land misallocation has a nonlinear impact on air pollution by restraining urban sprawl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a large-scale region, governance for connectivity in an ecological system often conflicts with management boundaries, causing inefficiencies. Collaboration among management organizations in different areas can help overcome this problem. However, few studies quantified the collaborations' practical relationship with connectivity, considering that some potentially connected paths are easy to neglect by managers. In this paper, collaborations among government agencies in project application process were analyzed, and a multilevel social-ecological network analysis (SENA) approach was developed to identify the collaboration's effect on genetically connected coastal areas. The network framework and methods were shown in a case of coastal saltmarsh conservation and development in the Yellow River Delta, China. Collaboration patterns in conservation and development networks were analyzed and compared among local, subregional, and regional government agencies working in genetically connected coastal areas. Project information flow, reflecting communication frequency and decision-making chances among government agencies was quantified and correlated with ecological connectivity to inform governance effects. Results showed areas with the potential to realize social-ecological alignment, where collaborative networks were measured by network density (percentage of connected network edges). The current reveals that development has more significant potential than conservation at most levels to overcome the misalignment of the social-ecological system, also known as scale mismatch. Empirical evidence also showed a correlation between communication capacity in development networks and improved ecological conditions. The multilevel SENA advanced in this paper can be used for natural resource management when connectivity plays a major role. [Display omitted] • We advanced a multilevel network approach for better evaluating social–ecological (mis)fit with connectivity. • We mapped collaborations among projects in a genetically connected region in the Yellow River Delta. • Development acts better than conservation with modeled network to realize social ecological alignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public participation is essential to the success of ecological civilization. Whether public participation can effectively play a role in the outgoing audit of natural resources (OANR) is an important issue that remains to be explored. This paper uses the tripartite evolutionary game to explore the mechanism of the audit subjects, the leading cadres, and the public in the OANR. The research finds that there is a two-way linkage relationship between the audit subjects and the leading cadres. The audit subjects and the leading cadres affect the behavior strategies of the public in the indirect way and direct way, respectively. However, the public lacks the path to directly affect the other two subjects. The tripartite ideal audit model of "the audit subjects conduct due diligence audits, leading cadres perform duties, the public participate" cannot be realized. The external effect of the public's strategic choice is not enough to make the profit or loss of leading cadres change structurally and then change their behaviors. This paper demonstrates the reasons why the public cannot effectively participate in the OANR at the current stage from three aspects, which are the interpretation of the equations for replication dynamics, the particularity of the audit system, and the effectiveness of public participation. Three suggestions are put forward which are encouraging citizens' indirect participation in the OANR, disclosing information about the OANR, and improving citizens' awareness of the OANR. This paper has important guiding significance for other developing countries to promote public participation in natural resource auditing. • There is a two-way linkage relationship between the audit subjects and the leading cadres. • The audit subjects and the leading cadres affect the behavior strategies of the public. • The public cannot effectively participate in the audit process of OANR at present. • Citizens' indirect participation should be improved in the OANR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural and Rural Green Development (ARGD) and economic growth are major challenges prevalent in China, but also in other developing countries. A notable gap in current literature lies in the limited holistic approach to agriculture and rural areas, with scant attention being paid to the spatiotemporal evolution of ARGD and its coordination relationship with economic growth. This paper first offers a theoretical analysis of the interactive relationship between ARGD and economic growth and subsequently examines the policy implementation process in China in this regard. It observes 31 provinces in China from 1997 to 2020 to uncover the spatiotemporal evolution of Agricultural and Rural Green Development Efficiency (ARGDE). Using the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and the local spatial autocorrelation model, this paper analyses the coordination relationship and spatial correlation between ARGDE and economic growth. The results show that ARGDE in China exhibited a phased growth trend and was greatly affected by policies during 1997–2020. The interregional ARGD produced a hierarchical effect. However, provinces with a higher ARGDE did not necessarily exhibit faster growth, leading to a differential pattern of optimization that involved continuous optimization, phased optimization, and continuous deterioration. Over a long period, ARGDE exhibited a trend of significant upward leaps or jumps. Finally, the CCD between ARGDE and economic growth improved, with a clear trend of high-high agglomeration characteristics that shifted from the eastern and northeastern provinces to the central and western ones. This suggests that promoting "quality agriculture" and "green agriculture" can have practical significance in accelerating the development of ARGD. In the future, it is vital to promote ARGD's transformation while mitigating the risk of degrading the coordinated relationship between ARGD and economic growth. • China's Agricultural and Rural Green Development Efficiency (ARGDE) increased. • Provinces with higher ARGDE did not necessarily have a faster growth rate. • ARGDE exhibits a leapfrogging improvement in a period of 4–5 years. • The coupling coordination degree between ARGDE and economic growth improved. • The High-High cluster have shifted to the central and western regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing aluminum demand under the clean energy and low-carbon transformation background increases the fuzziness of relationships between economic growth and aluminum use or aluminum related carbon emissions. To figure this out, this paper established an aluminum use and carbon emissions integrated decoupling model within the framework of anthropogenic aluminum cycle. A material flow analysis (MFA) during 2000–2020 for China's aluminum cycle was firstly conducted to quantify both aluminum flow and carbon emissions in each aluminum life-cycle process. Then, this paper evaluated and decomposed the decoupling index of aluminum use-economy and carbon emission-economy via the LMDI decomposition model. Results show that: (1) secondary aluminum has not become effective supplement for primary aluminum in China; (2) the expansive negative decoupling state was the most prevalent state. The decoupling effects of carbon emission were better than that of aluminum use; (3) technology improvement was an important impactor to decoupling process but didn't offset the growth in aluminum consumption or carbon emissions at most of the time. The government and industry organizers should implement active countermeasures to stimulate aluminum companies developing technology to improve aluminum use efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. [Display omitted] • Secondary aluminum supply was limited because the scrapping period of BC and TE department did not come. • Promoting aluminum recycling and remelting are the key to decarbonize the aluminum industry. • The decoupling effects of carbon emission were better than that of aluminum use. • Technology improvement had rebound effect in aluminum consumption before the 13th Five Year Plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic efficiency gains in tourism are considered a crucial approach to reducing carbon emissions in the tourism sector, especially in tourism transport. However, as a significant source of carbon emissions from tourism activities, the total carbon emissions from tourism transport have not decreased proportionally to the reduction in the intensity, despite China's overall improvement in the tourism economic efficiency. This phenomenon is commonly known as the "rebound effect", which means that although technological progress can achieve emission reductions by efficiency improvement, but it can also indirectly stimulate socio-economic growth and creates new energy demands, results in expected emission reductions being offset by the additional economic growth effect. Based on the multi-source data structure, this paper takes Yangtze-river delta urban agglomeration as an example, quantitatively evaluated the carbon rebound effect of tourism transport through the rebound effect measurement model; simulated the spatiotemporal dynamics evolution pattern of the carbon rebound effect in tourism transport through the spatial kernel density; extracted and identified the dominant factors of carbon rebound effect in tourism transport by the geographic detector. The conclusions summarized as follow: (1) The overall carbon emissions from tourism transport in the agglomeration primarily exhibit a weak rebound effect. (2) The carbon rebound effect is significantly influenced by spatiotemporal factors, which impact its development trend and interaction relations. (3) The level of tourism consumption exerts the greatest influence on the carbon rebound effect of tourism transport, while environmental regulation intensity is commonly employed as a measure to address the rebound effect. This paper aims to enhance the diversity of research on carbon emissions in tourism transport while addressing the existing limitations in spatial-temporal extension. The objective is to restrain the spread of the carbon rebound effect at the regional level, thereby providing a novel decision-making reference for the sustainable development of regional tourism. • Quantitatively analyzed the carbon rebound effect in tourism transportation. • Revealed the influence of spatiotemporal factors on rebound effect. • Identified the dominant factors of carbon rebound effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate warming impact on excessive nitrogen (N) load in sediment favours cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophic waters. The nitrate (NO 3 −-N) and ammonium (NH 4 +-N) are two forms of N loads that contribute to algae blooms. However, little attention is paid to the impact of environmental factors on N loads variations at different time scales. This paper used a well-calibrated and validated EFDC model to investigate the temporal patterns and trends of ammonium and nitrate from June 2016 to June 2017. This paper presented the relationship and effects between these variations and environmental factors using data from satellite and reanalysis-based observations obtained for six meteorological parameters. The relationship and effects between these variations and environmental factors were also examined at different timescales (i.e., daily, monthly and seasonal scales). Model calibration results indicated that measured values reasonably matched simulated values. T he validation results revealed that relative error (RE) values were within an acceptable range. The REs of ammonium at East Taihu (S12) and Xu Lake (S23) sampling sites were 55.83% and 57.61%, while that of nitrate was 24.37% (S12) and 41.08%, respectively. The daily analysis of NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −-N variations was 7.318 ± 3.876 (g/m2/day) and 0.0275 ± 0.222 (g/m2/day), respectively. The monthly analysis showed NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −N range from 2.04 to 12.04 (g/m2/day) and 0.0008 to 0.064 (g/m2/day), respectively. The magnitude NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −-N varied and showed distinct inter-monthly variations. , The relationship between sediment fluxes and meteorological parameters showed the magnitude of correlation coefficient (r) and strength of correlation varied significantly. At daily scales, the relationship of NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −-N had a significant positive correlation with all meteorological parameters. At monthly, the correlation coefficient (r) of NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −N were heterogenous. At daily and monthly scales, air temperature and wind speed are the main drivers affecting sediment N loads' dynamics; however, the influence of relative humidity, precipitation, and evaporation on N loads are smaller. The study demonstrates the contribution of meteorological conditions to the magnitude and timing of N loadings variability in water bodies. The findings provide more insight into lake ecosystem protection and environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • The simulated nitrate and ammonium nitrogen were calibrated and validated with field observation data. • The driving factors influencing nitrogen variations were quantified, and their impacts were identified. • Five meteorological variables significantly correlated with Nitrogen variations. • The strength of the correlation coefficient (r) varied across the multiple time scales. • Changes in meteorological conditions affect the timing and magnitude of nitrogen variations in Taihu lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information development is a necessary means for China to achieve technology force and an effective path toward sustainable development. Regarding the "information benefiting people" policy led by the Chinese government as a quasi-experiment of information technology, this study builds an analysis framework for the impact of informatization on green total factor productivity (GTFP). Based on panel data at the Chinese city level from 2006 to 2019, this study further empirically evaluates the mechanism path, heterogeneity, and spatial spillover effects between informatization and GTFP by using a difference-in-difference (DID) model, a mediating model, and a spatial DID model. The results show that (1) the information benefiting people policy contributes considerably to greater GTFP levels in the pilot cities; (2) the policy also promotes the rapid growth of GTFP by fostering the advancement of education, the share of the number of ICT employees, and green technology innovation; (3) the information benefiting people policy raises GTFP in the eastern cities, small cities, and non-old industrial based cities; and (4) the policies lead to a large rise in local GTFP levels, but a decline in GTFP in surrounding cities. This paper offers valuable reference suggestions for the Chinese government to implement informatization-policies to support green development. • This paper investigates the effect of informatization on green total factor productivity (GTFP). • We use "information benefiting people" policy as a quasi-experiment. • The informatization promotes GTFP in China. • The education level, ICT employment share, and green technology innovation are suitable mediators. • The impact of informatization on GTFP is heterogeneous and spatially spillover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North China type coalfield are gradually mining deep, and the mixing of groundwater is intensified. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes are important elements for tracing groundwater movement. The fractionation response mechanism under mining conditions is not clear. In this paper, combined with numerical simulation, MixSIAR isotope mixing model and other methods, according to the δD, δ18O and hydrochemical information of various water bodies, the impact of coal mining on hydrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation is analyzed from multiple perspectives. The results show that summer soil water is the main source of recharge for limestone water, accounting for 30.7%–41.5%, and the Zhan River is the main source of recharge for limestone water. Before groundwater recharge, evaporation leads to the increase of δ18O in surface water by 0.31‰–5.58‰, water loss by 1.81%–28.00%, the increase of δ18O in soil water by 0.47‰–6.33‰, and water loss by 2.74%–35.80%. Compared with the coal mining layer, the degree of hydrogen and oxygen isotope drift and water-rock interaction in the coal mine stopping layer are significantly improved. The results of numerical simulation show that the pumping activity reduces the 18O concentration in the mining layer. The ion ratio is used as a new variable to eliminate the influence of water-rock interaction when calculating the mixing ratio. The results show that the limestone water is in a state of receiving external recharge, and mixing effect increases the δ18O in limestone water by 0.86‰ on average, and the δD increases by 0.72‰ on average. The research results explain the controlled process of hydrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation under mining conditions, which is of great significance to coal mine safety production. • The contribution ratio of surface water and soil water to limestone water in different seasons was estimated. • Summer soil water is the main recharge source of limestone water. • The mixing effect increases δ18O and δD in limestone water. • The isotope exchange and water-rock interaction in coal mine stopping layer are stronger than coal mining layer. • High temperature does not promote the drift of 18O in limestone water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas contribute 85% of China's CO 2 emissions. Green finance is an important means to support green energy development and achieve the low-carbon transformation of high-energy-consuming industries. The motivation of this article is to investigate the impact and mechanism of green finance on urban carbon intensity. Most existing literature uses linear models to investigate urban carbon intensity, ignoring the nonlinear relationships between economic variables. The nonparametric models can fill the inherent shortcomings of linear models and effectively simulate the nonlinear nexus between economic variables. Based on the 2011–2021 panel data of 237 cities in China, this paper applies the nonparametric additive model to survey the influence of green finance on urban carbon intensity. Empirical findings exhibit that green finance exerts an inverted U-shaped effect on urban carbon intensity, indicating that the carbon reduction effect of green finance has gradually shifted from inconspicuous in the early stages to prominent in the later stages. Then, from the perspectives of region, city size, and carbon intensity, this article conducts heterogeneity analysis. The results show that the impact of green finance on various carbon intensities all exhibits obvious nonlinear feature. Furthermore, this article employs a mediation effect model to conduct mechanism analysis. The results display that technological progress and industrial structure are two important mediating variables, both of which produce an inverted U-shaped nonlinear impact on urban carbon intensity. • The nexus between green finance and urban carbon intensity is a ∩-shaped pattern. • The high-carbon intensity cities receive a U-shaped impact from green finance. • Technological progress exerts a ∩-shaped effect on carbon intensity. • Green finance has a ∩-shaped impact on carbon intensity in the eastern and western regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transboundary lakes are shared by multiple administrative regions. The key to balance the development and protection of transboundary lakes is to properly measure the value of water resources. Most of previous studies on the measurement of lake water resources value have not fully considered the ecosystem service function. This paper proposes a new concept "composite water value" to measure the value of transboundary lakes by integrating the external runoff value and the internal runoff value of water resources. The study constructs a composite water value measurement system for transboundary lakes, further analyzes its influencing factors,and applies the system to the case of Nansi Lake, a representative transboundary lake in eastern China. The results show that: (1) The composite water value of lakes is influenced by various factors, including industrial structure, water withdrawal, and water use methods, which impact the external runoff water value; meanwhile, the composite water quality and fluctuations in lake level are closely associated with the internal runoff water value. From 2008 to 2021, the average annual composite water value of Nansi Lake was 39.628 billion yuan, exhibiting a "rising-falling-fluctuating rising" trend due to pollution control policies, reduced precipitation, and enhanced water-saving technologies successively. (2) From a long-term perspective, it is necessary to focus on the internal runoff water use value of lakes. The internal runoff water value of Nansi Lake has been over 75% of the composite water value, and flood storage and water conservation are important manifestations of its ecosystem service value. (3) The external runoff water value of lake is closely related to the internal runoff water value, and relevant departments need to consider the balance between the water withdrawal of multiple cities along the lake and the retained water volume of the lake to achieve the maximum benefit of composite water value. [Display omitted] • Lake water value includes multiple values derived from external runoff water out of lakes and internal runoff water in lakes. • The ecosystem service value of internal runoff water is much higher than the economic value of external runoff water. • There is a tradeoff relationship between the internal runoff water and external runoff water. • Composite water value measurement can help balance transboundary lakes development and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing emphasis on sustainable development, green policies have become a crucial factor influencing both environmental pollution and the career progression of officials in China and other countries. However, the mechanisms behind this relationship remain unclear. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of how environmental pollution impacts official promotion by analyzing the performance of provincial leaders in China and their incentives to address pollution. Using provincial panel data from 1998 to 2020 and a probit model, our study uncovers significant findings. We demonstrate that the intensified green attention by China's central government has notably reduced the promotion prospects for provincial officials with poor environmental protection records, particularly since 2013. Furthermore, our research extends the analysis of micro-level mechanisms, illustrating how the central government's political incentives effectively influence local environmental governance. This study underscores the central government's capability to leverage its personnel system to achieve desired outcomes in sustainable development. • Analysis unveils incentives for provincial governors to tackle pollution issues. • Green attention from top leadership lowers promotion chances for officials with poor environmental records. • Impact is stronger during periods of heightened national environmental awareness. • Central government's green attention influences local leaders' priorities towards quality or quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization, as a crucial engine for promoting sustainable development, has created new prospects for enterprise green transformation. Utilizing panel data from enterprises registered in China's resource-based cities from 2010 to 2021, this study innovatively examines the role of digitalization in promoting green transformation across two key performance dimensions. The findings indicate that enterprise digitalization significantly enhances the green innovation performance, while its impact on environmental performance, although positive, is not statistically significant. Overall, enterprise digitalization greatly facilitates green transformation. Moreover, mechanism analysis reveals that enterprise digitalization promotes green transformation through the alleviation of financial mismatch and the increase of external market attention. In addition, heterogeneity analysis shows that the effectiveness of enterprise digitalization in promoting green transformation is significantly different in different opportunist risk scenarios, proving more effective in areas with low-marketization, high-competition industries, and high environmental regulation intensity. In terms of the policy level, the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone (NBDCPZ) and the Carbon Emission Trading Policy (CETP) played a positive stimulating role in the process of enterprise digitalization affecting green transformation. This paper broadens the scope of research on green transformation, offers new development philosophy for enterprises in resource-based cities, and provides new directions for the synergistic development of digitalization and greenization. • We explore the nexus between digitalization and green transformation. • We verify this positive effect by applying multiple fixed-effects models. • We identify the mechanism paths from the perspective of external market attention. • We implement heterogeneity analysis from three aspects. • We reinforce the reliability of this positive effect under considering policy interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Situated in the north of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Qaidam Basin experiences limited precipitation and significant evaporation. Despite these conditions, it stands out as one of the most densely distributed lakes in China. The formation of these lakes is controversial: whether the lake water primarily originates from local precipitation or external water sources. To address this issue, this paper explores the recharge sources of lakes in the Qaidam Basin and the circulation patterns of groundwater from a remote sensing perspective. Based on deep learning networks, we optimized the soft object regions of the Object-Contextual Representations Network (OCRNet) and proposed the Remote·Sensing Adaptive-Improved OCRNet (RSA-IOCRNet). Compared with seven other networks, RSA-IOCRNet obtained better experimental results and was used to construct an area sequence of 16 major lakes in the Qaidam Basin. Combined with multi-source data, the comprehensive analysis indicates no significant correlation between climatic factors and lake changes, while an obvious correlation between lakes and groundwater changes in the eastern Qaidam, consisting with the results of the field survey. Deep-circulating groundwater recharges numerous Qaidam lakes through upwelling from fault zones, such as Gasikule Lake and Xiaochaidan Lake. Groundwater in the Qaidam Basin is more depleted in hydrogen-oxygen isotope characteristics than surface water in the basin, but similar to some river water in the endorheic Tibetan Plateau. This indicates that Tibetan seepage water, estimated at approximately 540 billion m3/a, is transported through the Qaidam Basin via deep circulation. Moreover, it rises to recharge the groundwater and lakes within this basin through fracture zones, extending to various arid and semi-arid regions such as Taitema Lake. This work provides a new perspective on the impact of deep groundwater on lakes and water circulation in these areas. [Display omitted] • RSA-OCRNet constructs area changes of 16 major lakes in the Qaidam Basin. • Changes in the Qaidam lakes are strongly linked to groundwater recharge. • Groundwater in Qaidam may come from seepage in Qiangtang by deep circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral extraction plays a pivotal role in economic growth and development of the Global South, serving as a cornerstone for numerous industries and contributing significantly to national economies. However, its exploitation often comes with significant environmental and social challenges. This research paper examines the impacts of mineral extraction on environmental sustainability and social equity in the Global South, focusing particularly on China over the past two decades (2002–2022). Utilizing the Dynamic Autoregressive Distributed Lag (DARDL) methodology, we offer a comprehensive empirical analysis of the impact of mineral extraction on environmental and social implications. Our findings provide an in-depth perspective, highlighting the multifaceted nature of this relationship. The study underscores the temporal dynamics and evolving nature of the environmental and social repercussions associated with mineral extraction. It offers critical insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and civil society organizations engaged in the Global South. • Mineral extraction drives economic growth in the Global South but poses environmental and social challenges. • This study focuses on China's mineral extraction from 2002 to 2022. • Utilizing DARDL methodology, it analyzes environmental and social implications. • Findings offer critical insights for policymakers and stakeholders in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the formation of the green lifestyle (GL) is a crucial step in achieving comprehensive green transformation of urban economic and social development. The widespread adoption of GL is influenced by various environmental regulations. Previous research mainly focused on the impact of individual policies on GL from the single policy perspective. The mechanisms of the combined effects of policies have not been thoroughly explored, particularly the contributions of each policy during periods of overlap. This paper takes the dual-policy of the New-type Urbanization Policy (NUP) and Smart City Policy (SCP) in China as an example. It employs panel data collected from 271 cities in China during 2007–2019 and establishes a multi-period difference-in-difference model to identify the combined effects of the dual-policy on residents' GL. Additionally, the Shapley value decomposition method is utilized to identify the contribution magnitude of each policy when they act simultaneously. The following conclusions are yielded. Firstly, the combined effects of dual-policy are more effective than a single policy in influencing residents' GL. Secondly, the Shapley value decomposition method reveals that when both policies are simultaneously implemented, SCP contributes a greater weight compared to NUP. Thirdly, the dual-policy can promote residents' adoption of GL through mechanisms such as green technological innovation, public participation in environmental protection, and the agglomeration of tertiary industries. Fourthly, the impact of dual-policy on residents' GL varies across different types and sizes of cities. This study attempts to unseal the "black box" of how the dual-policy influences residents' GL during the green transformation of cities in China, providing theoretical references for relevant urban policies in other countries and contributing to Chinese solutions and experience to global urban green development. • The dual-policy of NUP and SCP can jointly promote residents' green lifestyle. • The weight of SCP's contribution is higher than NUP's by the Shapely value method. • It explored three potential channels between the dual-policy and GL. • There are heterogeneous effects of dual-policy on GL in different types of cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's carbon emission trading policy plays a crucial role in achieving both its "3060" dual carbon objectives and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) on climate action. The policy's effectiveness in reducing pollution and mitigating carbon emissions holds significant importance. This paper investigated whether China's carbon emission trading policy affects pollution reduction (PM 2.5 and SO 2) and carbon mitigation (CO 2) in pilot regions, using panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China from 2005 to 2019 and employing a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model. Furthermore, it analyzed the heterogeneity of carbon market mechanisms and regional variations. Finally, it examined the governance pathways for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation from a holistic perspective. The results indicate that: (1) China's carbon emission trading policy has reduced CO 2 emissions by 18% and SO 2 emissions by 36% in pilot areas, with an immediate impact on the "carbon mitigation" effect, while the "pollution reduction" effect exhibits a time lag. (2) Higher carbon trading prices lead to stronger "carbon mitigation" effect, and larger carbon market scales are associated with greater "pollution reduction" effects on PM 2.5. Governance effects on pollution reduction and carbon mitigation vary among pilot regions: Carbon markets of Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin show significant governance effects in both "pollution reduction" and "carbon mitigation", whereas Guangdong's carbon market exhibits only a "pollution reduction" effect, and Hubei's carbon market demonstrates only a "carbon mitigation" effect. (3) Currently, China's carbon emission trading policy achieves pollution reduction and carbon mitigation through "process management" and "end-of-pipe treatment". This study could provide empirical insights and policy implications for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, as well as for the development of China's carbon emission trading market. • China's carbon emission trading (CET) policy promotes pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. • Higher carbon trading prices lead to stronger "carbon mitigation" effect. • Larger carbon market scales bring greater "pollution reduction" effects on PM 2.5. • Regional heterogeneity exists on pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is considered one of the major systemic risks facing the world in the 21st century. To address climate change, China has adopted a series of climate policies, but the uncertainty brought about by frequent climate policy issuance has increased pressure on enterprises, which may not be conducive to enterprises reducing emissions. This paper uses data on 1211 listed companies on the A-share market in China from 2012 to 2022 to study the impact of climate policy uncertainty on enterprise pollutant emissions. The research findings show that climate policy uncertainty increases corporate pollution emissions; climate policy uncertainty mainly generates negative impacts on enterprise environmental regulation, social responsibility, and R&D investment, thereby negatively affecting enterprise emissions reduction. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that climate policy uncertainty in China has a more significant impact on non-state-owned enterprises, technology-intensive enterprises, lightly polluting enterprises, and enterprises in western regions. These findings emphasize the importance of enterprise social responsibility, environmental regulation, and R&D investment in enterprise emissions reduction and provide policy implications for Chinese enterprises to optimize their energy-saving and emission reduction strategies in the face of climate policy uncertainty. • We investigate the correlation between uncertainty in climate policy and the corporate pollution emissions. • We utilized an extensive dataset comprising publicly listed Chinese firms spanning the period from 2012 to 2022. • Climate policy uncertainty negatively impacts corporate environmental regulation, social responsibility, and R&D investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a knowledge gap on how ground-level particulate pollution affects labor productivity in emerging nations due to a lack of study, especially when it comes to outdoor work settings like couriers in the express delivery industry. Combining findings from two research projects, this paper examines the socioeconomic consequences of particulate matter and ground-level particulate pollution. Special panel dataset from China's express delivery companies are used, we study how particulate pollution affects courier productivity. The instrumental variable of our analysis was built by particulate pollution data from upwind towns. Moreover, a comparable rise in particulate levels during the 30 days caused a significant 23.7% decline in worker productivity. This draws attention to a neglected area of the economic effects of particulate pollution, especially in underdeveloped countries. Our results also highlight the wider health hazards connected to outdoor activities in high-pollution locations, drawing comparisons on outdoor exercisers and particulate matter concentrations. The critical need for coordinated policy attention addressing both ground-level Particulate and particle matters in developing nations is highlighted by the increased risk of lung function impairment among outdoor exercisers owing to excessive particulate matter concentrations. The interrelated risks that air pollution poses to public health and economic productivity are clarified by this Comprehensive viewpoint. • Examines the socioeconomic consequences of particulate matter and ground-level ozone pollution. • Using a special panel dataset from one of China's top express delivery companies. • Air pollution poses to public health and economic productivity are clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring whether informal environmental regulations (INER) can achieve carbon reduction in the context of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, as well as how to achieve carbon reduction, can help solve the dual failures of the market and government in environmental protection. Based on the polycentric governance theory and considering the characteristics of social subject environmental participation, the Stackelberg game is used to demonstrate the impact mechanism of INER on CO 2. In addition, using the panel data of China's 30 provinces from 2003 to 2018, this paper validates the effectiveness of INER by Pooled Ordinary Least Square (POLS) and threshold panel model. Then, the mediating effect model is used to test the mechanism of INER's effect on carbon reduction. The results show that corruption is not conducive to CO 2 reduction. The reduction effect of INER on CO 2 exhibits heterogeneity with changes in other non-greenhouse gas pollutants. While INER effectively reduces local corruption, its more substantial indirect impact on CO 2 reduction is prominent when levels of other pollutants are lower. Comparative analysis reveals that there are still biased governance behaviors to cope with INER's pressure in some regions nowadays. The findings show that for countries facing the dual task of pollution control and carbon reduction, the key to leveraging the supervisory role of INER should be focused on mitigating information asymmetry caused by the characteristics of CO 2. Therefore, in the process of environmental protection, the public environmental participation system should be improved, and the process of disclosing polluters' carbon information should be accelerated. • Polluters may adopt strategic carbon reduction behaviors. • Other pollutants influence the impact of INER on CO 2. • When other pollutants are low, INER significantly reduce CO 2 by constraining corruption. • Some regions still have biased governance behaviors to cope with INER's pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global public health concern of nitrate (NO 3 −) contamination in groundwater is particularly pronounced in irrigated agricultural regions. This paper aims to analyze the spatial distribution of groundwater NO 3 −, assess potential health risks for local residents, and quantitatively identify nitrate sources during different seasons and land use types in the Jinghuiqu Irrigation District, a region in northwestern China with a longstanding agricultural history. The investigation utilizes hydrochemical parameters, dual isotopic data, and the Bayesian stable isotope mixing model (MixSIAR). The findings underscore significant seasonal variations in the average concentrations of NO 3 −, with values of 87.72 mg/L and 101.87 mg/L during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Furthermore, distinct fluctuations in nitrate concentration were observed across different land use types, whereby vegetable lands manifested the maximum concentration. Prolonged exposure to elevated nitrate concentrations may pose potential health risks to residents, especially in the dry season when the non-carcinogenic groundwater nitrate risk surges past its wet season counterpart. The MixSIAR analysis revealed that chemical fertilizers accounted for the majority of nitrate pollution in vegetable lands, both during the dry season (49.6%) and wet season (41.2%). In contrast, manure and sewage contributed significantly to NO 3 −concentrations in residential land during the wet (74.9%) and dry seasons (67.6%). For croplands, soil nitrogen emerged as a dominant source during the wet season (42.2%), while chemical fertilizers prevailed in the dry season (38.7%). In addition to source variations, the nitrate concentration of groundwater is further affected by hydrogeological conditions, with more permeable aquifers tending to display higher nitrate concentrations. Thus, targeted measures were proposed to modify or impede the nitrogen migration pathway, taking into consideration hydrogeological conditions and incorporating domestic sewage, organic fertilizer, and agricultural management practices. [Display omitted] • The permeability of aquifer affects the concentration of nitrate in groundwater. • Vegetable land is the area with the highest nitrate concentration in groundwater. • Nitrate concentration in the dry season was higher than that in the wet season. • Long-term agricultural activities lead to high nitrate concentration in groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]