Navigating the Green Transition: The Influence of Low-Carbon City Policies on Employment in China’s Listed Firms

Zekai He, Caihong Wen and Xinyou Yang ()
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Zekai He: School of Economics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China
Caihong Wen: School of Accounting, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China
Xinyou Yang: School of Urban and Regional Science, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai 200433, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-23

Abstract: This study explores the impact of China’s low-carbon city policy on employment using a quasi-natural experiment approach based on microdata from A-share listed companies (2007–2021). The findings indicate a statistically significant positive effect on employment levels, with an average increase of 7.27% in pilot compared to non-pilot cities. This boost in employment is primarily linked to green innovation, improved financing conditions, and increased sales activities. The policy disproportionately benefits high-skilled workers and positively affects employment in sales, research and development, and management while having a lesser impact on low-skilled and production workers. The employment gains are particularly significant in non-polluting sectors, regions with high marketization, and in the eastern areas of China. This study underscores the complex interplay between environmental policies and labor markets, emphasizing the need for skill differentiation in policy frameworks.

Keywords: low-carbon city policy; employment impact; green innovation; China’s A-share listed companies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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