Journal of Northeastern University(Social Science) ›› 2024, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (5): 78-89.DOI: 10.15936/j.cnki.1008-3758.2024.05.009

• Politics and Public Management • Previous Articles    

Mandatory Emission Reduction Policy, Attention Adjustment and Environmental Governance Efficiency: Based on Regression Discontinuity Design

XIE Wendong1,2   

  1. (1. School of Public Economics and Administration, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai 200433, China; 2. School of Political Science and Law, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China)
  • Published:2024-10-10
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Abstract: Based on the principal-agent theory and the perspective of attention allocation, the sharp regression discontinuity design is used to empirically examine the impact and mechanism of the mandatory emission reduction policy (MERP) in the 11th Five-Year Plan on the environmental governance efficiency (EGE), using the data of the prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2020. The results show that MERP has a significant role in promoting the EGE, and various robustness tests support this conclusion. MERP improves the EGE by increasing local governments' attention to environmental protection and reducing economic growth. The stronger the promotion incentives for officials and the higher the degree of public participation, the more significant the effect of MERP on the EGE. The research findings provide useful implications for the government to develop reasonable environmental policies and even improve the national environmental governance system in the new era.

Key words: mandatory emission reduction; government attention; environmental governance efficiency; regression discontinuity

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