Shareholder value effects of corporate carbon trading: Empirical evidence from market reaction towards Clean Development Mechanism in China

Bin Zhang, Kee-hung Lai, Bo Wang and Zhaohua Wang
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Zhao-Hua Wang ()

Energy Policy, 2017, vol. 110, issue C, 410-421

Abstract: Are shareholders sensitive to corporate initiative of implementing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects? And if so, what are the key factors that influence the corresponding abnormal return to enterprises? To answer these questions, we employed an event study methodology to evaluate the stock market reaction to the CDM projects certification in China since 2005. We illuminated three sources of ambiguity in the relationship between corporate CDM initiatives and shareholder value, namely the impacts from time, CDM types, and credits of carbon emission reduction (CER). Our empirical results showed that the CDM initiatives could benefit corporate shareholder values. The expected CER credit is the main driver for the increase in shareholder value. However, we also found that the positive shareholder value effect of CDM decreases over time. In particular, industrial gas CDM projects rather than renewable energy and energy efficiency projects are preferred by shareholders; but there are no significant differences in the shareholder value effect between bilateral contracting and unilateral implementation. This paper advanced knowledge on the shareholder value effect of corporate CDM initiatives, and more generally, the impact of corporate carbon trading on financial performance of enterprises in an emerging country context.

Keywords: Clean Development Mechanism; Shareholder value; Market reaction; Corporate performance; Event study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:110:y:2017:i:c:p:410-421

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.08.028

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