Journal of Northeastern University(Social Science) ›› 2026, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (1): 87-99.DOI: 10.15936/j.cnki.1008-3758.2026.01.009

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The Emission Reduction Effect of the Combination of Environmental Regulatory Policy Tools: “Synergy” or “Antagonism”

Xiaojie ZHANG, Ruimiao HOU   

  1. School of Humanities & Law,Northeastern University,Shenyang 110169,China
  • Received:2024-06-25 Online:2026-01-25 Published:2026-01-27

Abstract:

This article utilizes balanced panel data from 30 provincial-level administrative units spanning 2010 to 2021 and employs the Difference-in-Differences (DID) method to empirically analyze the emission reduction effects of environmental regulatory policy instrument mix.The research results indicate that the emission reduction effects of the environmental regulatory policy instrument mix are significant.The combination of carbon emissions trading and environmental protection taxes significantly reduces the carbon emission intensity in the policy implementation areas, and these results have passed robustness tests.The environmental regulatory policy instrument mix exhibits a synergistic rather than an antagonistic effect, and it leads to a more significant reduction in carbon emission intensity compared to a single environmental regulatory policy tool.In the emission reduction pathway of the environmental regulatory policy instrument mix, the mediating effect of industrial structure advancement is higher than that of reduced energy consumption.Both serve as partial mediating effects for the emission reduction of the policy mix, accounting for 50.25% and 30.59% of the total effect, respectively.On this basis, the research provides policy implications for the design and implementation of environmental regulatory policy instrument mix in China, focusing on enhancing the synergy of the policy mix and leveraging the emission reduction effects of industrial structure advancement and reduced energy consumption.

Key words: environmental regulation, policy tool, emission reduction effect, policy mix

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