Effects of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions in China

Abstract

Purpose

Fiscal fund is the key support of carbon emissions control for local governments. This paper aims to analyze the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions by spatial Durbin model (SDM), and verify the existence of “free-riding” phenomenon to reveal the behavior of local governments in carbon emissions control.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the provincial data of carbon emissions from 2005 to 2016 in China, this paper uses spatial exploratory data analysis technology to analyze the spatial correlation characteristics and constructs SDM to test the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions.

Findings

The results show that carbon emissions exhibits significant spatial autocorrelation in China, and the increasing of fiscal decentralization in the region will increase carbon emissions in surrounding areas and on the whole. Then, by comparing the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions and industrial solid waste, it is found that “free-riding” phenomenon of carbon emissions control exists in China.

Practical implications

Based on the spatial cluster characteristics of China’s provincial carbon emissions, carbon emissions control regions can be divided into regions and different carbon emission control policies can be formulated for different cluster regions. Carbon emissions indicators should be included in the government performance appraisal policy, and carbon emissions producer survey should be increased in environmental policies to avoid “free-riding” behaviors of local government in carbon emissions control in China.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to fill this gap and fully considers the spatial spillover characteristics of carbon emissions by introducing spatial exploratory data analysis technology, constructs SDM to test the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions in the perspective of space econometrics, and tests the existence of “free-riding” phenomenon in carbon emissions control for local governments in China.

Citation

Yang, Y., Tang, D. and Zhang, P. (2020), "Effects of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions in China", International Journal of Energy Sector Management, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 213-228. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJESM-03-2019-0001