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Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development
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Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 November 2024 | Viewed by 5280

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yuping Shang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Economics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230601, China
Interests: economic and environmental performance evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xin Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Statistics & Applied Mathematics, Anhui University of Finance & Economics, Bengbu 233030, China
Interests: energy economics; sustainability; environmental management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xihui Haviour Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
Interests: sustainability; environmental management; climate governance; green innovation; firm efficiency

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the contemporary era of globalization and industrialization, the economic endeavors of human society exert increasingly noteworthy influences on the environment. Challenges of substantial magnitude, including climate change, resource depletion, and ecosystem collapse, have emerged as pressing global concerns. Particularly noteworthy is the current global commitment by nations to adhere to the Sustainable Development Goals and foster the ascendance of a green economy. The intricacy inherent in these challenges necessitates profound contemplation on the concurrent attainment of environmental sustainability and economic development.

Against this backdrop, environmental economics has emerged as an interdisciplinary field of study,  seeking to investigate environmental issues and explore viable solutions by leveraging diverse economic theories and methodologies. This discipline operates at the intersection of economics and environmental science, offering valuable insights into the intricate relationship between human activities, economic progress, and environmental well-being. The fundamental premise of environmental economics lies in establishing connections between various economic activities and the natural environment, delving into their intricate interactions and influences. This field is geared towards addressing a myriad of pivotal questions, such as the impact of economic growth on environmental quality, the reciprocal effects of environmental policies on economic performance, and the identification of optimal economic models for resource utilization. Through a more profound exploration of these inquiries, we can enhance our comprehension of the repercussions of human activities on the planet, thereby furnishing more scientifically grounded guidance for steering towards sustainable development.

This Special Issue will center its attention on the intricate interplay between science, policy, and economics, offering an in-depth exploration of the pivotal role played by environmental economics in shaping the development of sustainable social policies. Our aim is to foster a holistic comprehension of environmental issues within academic discourse. We eagerly anticipate contributions from scholars across diverse disciplines so that we may pool their wisdom and insights to propel global endeavors towards the advancement of sustainable development and environmental protection.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The impact of policies related to carbon trading on climate mitigation;
  • Analysis of the impact of environmental regulations on enterprise performance;
  • Resource use efficiency and circular economy;
  • Technological innovation and environmental sustainability;
  • Economic risk management and environmental governance;
  • Green finance and investment decisions;
  • Government policy and environmental governance effect assessment;
  • Social innovation and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals;
  • Urban spatial planning and spatial distribution of carbon emissions;
  • The impact of carbon neutrality on enterprise financial performance;
  • The incentive effect of environmental policy on enterprise innovation.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yuping Shang
Dr. Xin Zhao
Dr. Xihui Haviour Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable development
  • institutional arrangement
  • environmental protection
  • low-carbon transition
  • environmental economics
  • social policy
  • economic activity
  • climate change
  • resource utilization
  • interdisciplinary research

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 2048 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Influence of Open Innovation among Chinese Cities on Enterprise Carbon Emissions
by Xiaoyan Chen, Liwen Wan, Qunqun Cheng and Yuping Shang
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 7017; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167017 - 15 Aug 2024
Viewed by 745
Abstract
Currently, China is the largest carbon emitter and the pressure of carbon reduction in China is very severe. However, the lack of technological innovation momentum is a bottleneck factor that restricts carbon reduction in Chinese cities. In this context, open innovation is gradually [...] Read more.
Currently, China is the largest carbon emitter and the pressure of carbon reduction in China is very severe. However, the lack of technological innovation momentum is a bottleneck factor that restricts carbon reduction in Chinese cities. In this context, open innovation is gradually replacing closed innovation and playing an increasingly important role in improving the technological innovation performance of enterprises. Analysis shows that a large amount of literature has explored the impacts of industry technological innovation and green technology innovation on carbon emissions, while there is little research on how open innovation affects carbon emissions. This study calculates cities’ open innovation indicators and the carbon emission intensity indicators of listed enterprises. Using a three-fixed-effects model, it examines the effect and mechanism of open innovation on carbon emissions of enterprises and verifies the heterogeneity effect. The research results indicate that open innovation can significantly reduce the carbon emission intensity of enterprises by reducing transaction costs and upgrading the industrial structure. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that open innovation has an obvious carbon emission reduction effect on non-state-owned, polluting, small- and medium-sized enterprises and enterprises in central cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development)
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24 pages, 2500 KiB  
Article
Relational Global Value Chain Carbon Emissions and Their Network Structure Patterns: Evidence from China
by Youfu Yue, Junjun Hou, Nuoya Yue and Haofan Wang
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 6940; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166940 - 13 Aug 2024
Viewed by 732
Abstract
The structure of the network among firms participating in global value chains is an important factor in understanding the changes in China’s carbon emissions. This paper focuses on the interdependence between firms and the interconnected networks to which they belong, utilizing an inter-country [...] Read more.
The structure of the network among firms participating in global value chains is an important factor in understanding the changes in China’s carbon emissions. This paper focuses on the interdependence between firms and the interconnected networks to which they belong, utilizing an inter-country input–output model that distinguishes between domestic-owned enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises for measurement purposes. By distinguishing between domestic and cross-border global value chains, we illustrate the carbon emission effects of relational global value chains and their network structures, thereby contributing a Chinese perspective on relational global value chains and carbon emission reduction. This study reveals that (1) relational global value chain activities have emerged as a significant contributor to China’s carbon emissions, constituting approximately 26.8%, with its growth mainly stemming from the expansion of domestic global value chain emissions. At the sectoral level, relational global value chain activities lead to higher carbon emissions from the service sector than from the manufacturing sector. (2) Domestic global value chain relationship activities are more likely to have favorable economic and environmental trade-offs, as evidenced by the lower carbon intensity of the domestic global value chain than the cross-border global value chain. The circle-structured relationship activities between domestic-owned enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises are associated with more sustainable carbon emission growth and greater potential for emission reduction than the chain structure. (3) Structural decomposition analysis indicates that the impact of cross-border global value chain emissions on China’s carbon emission growth has been decreasing since 2012, while the influence of the domestic global value chain is on the rise and surpasses that of the cross-border global value chain by the end of the period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development)
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19 pages, 2564 KiB  
Article
Can a Policy Mix Achieve a Collaborative Effect? Exploring the Nested Implementation Process of Urban Carbon Emission Reduction Policies
by Yihang Zhao, Yuanyuan Zhang and Shengyu Wang
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6529; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156529 - 30 Jul 2024
Viewed by 620
Abstract
China’s government has adopted several carbon emission reduction policies to strive to achieve the dual carbon goal of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality”. In practice, various multi-objective policy instruments are implemented in a staggered manner, which might lead to the overestimation or underestimation [...] Read more.
China’s government has adopted several carbon emission reduction policies to strive to achieve the dual carbon goal of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality”. In practice, various multi-objective policy instruments are implemented in a staggered manner, which might lead to the overestimation or underestimation of single-policy effect evaluation. This paper evaluates the combined effect of the Low-carbon City Pilot (LCP) and Comprehensive Demonstration City of Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Fiscal Policy (CCEEFP), investigating whether their carbon emission reduction effects are complementary and achieve collaborative outcomes. The empirical results indicate that the LCP, the CCEEFP, and their nested implementation could all promote carbon emission reduction. Their collaborative policy effects are sustained, being more obvious in higher-grade cities. Furthermore, there is a greater adoption of the source treatment technology for carbon emissions. And the implementing order of these policies could affect governance performance because of the “path dependence” of local government’s attention towards multi-objective policy intentions. The empirical evidence demonstrates that policymakers should carefully design policy mix particulars towards a common purpose and carefully co-ordinate their implementation process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development)
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18 pages, 1841 KiB  
Article
Urban Renewal and Transformation of Residents’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Evidence from the Renovation of Old Residential Areas in Chengdu, China
by Xingbang He, Xiaoxia Ran and Jie Mao
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 6227; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146227 - 21 Jul 2024
Viewed by 781
Abstract
Based on research data from the renovation of old residential areas in Chengdu, China, this study provides empirical evidence regarding the causal relationship between urban renewal and the transformation of residents’ pro-environmental behaviors. The research results show a significant enhancement in residents’ engagement [...] Read more.
Based on research data from the renovation of old residential areas in Chengdu, China, this study provides empirical evidence regarding the causal relationship between urban renewal and the transformation of residents’ pro-environmental behaviors. The research results show a significant enhancement in residents’ engagement in pro-environmental behaviors due to the renovation of old residential areas. Robustness tests based on replacement samples and two-stage difference–difference model also confirm the reliability of the conclusions. The preliminary mechanism test indicates that the mechanism of the impact of renovation of old residential areas on the transformation of residents’ pro-environmental behaviors can be attributed to two main factors. Firstly, improving environmental infrastructure, such as upgrading waste segregation facilities and installing intelligent resource recycling devices, provides residents with better conditions for engaging in pro-environmental behaviors. Secondly, an increase in residents’ environmental awareness has led to more voluntary participation in pro-environmental behaviors. This study proposes that decision makers acknowledge that urban renewal serves as both a means of improving urban infrastructure and as a hands-on environmental education for the entire population. Taking urban renewal as an opportunity to enhance citizens’ awareness of environmental protection will effectively promote the transformation of pro-environmental behaviors and support sustainable social development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development)
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27 pages, 3557 KiB  
Article
The Impact of the Digital Economy on Urban Ecological Resilience: Empirical Evidence from China’s Comprehensive Big Data Pilot Zone Policy
by Youzhi Zhang, Jingyi Wang, Yinke Liu and Jing Zhao
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3611; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093611 - 25 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1018
Abstract
The present study examines the effects of China’s comprehensive big data pilot zone policy on urban ecological resilience. This is achieved through the utilization of a quasi-natural experiment, employing panel data from 217 prefecture-level cities in China spanning the years 2010 to 2021. [...] Read more.
The present study examines the effects of China’s comprehensive big data pilot zone policy on urban ecological resilience. This is achieved through the utilization of a quasi-natural experiment, employing panel data from 217 prefecture-level cities in China spanning the years 2010 to 2021. The research revealed that China’s extensive policy on big data pilot zones has a notable and favorable influence on the ecological resilience of urban areas. This impact is both constant and subject to variation across different regions. The aforementioned impact is attained by means of progressions in industrial structure and the introduction of innovative green technologies. Furthermore, the strategy exerts a beneficial impact on the ecological resilience of urban areas in adjacent regions by means of spatial spillover effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development)
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