Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industry

Abstract In recent years, China’s economic development is dominated by an eco-friendly and low-carbon transition, making the low-carbon advancement of the construction sector urgent. Local governments play a crucial role in this process. This paper, utilizing provincial panel data from 2007 to 2021,...

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Main Authors: Yuhao Sun, Minghui Liu, Yong Lv
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80599-5
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author Yuhao Sun
Minghui Liu
Yong Lv
author_facet Yuhao Sun
Minghui Liu
Yong Lv
author_sort Yuhao Sun
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In recent years, China’s economic development is dominated by an eco-friendly and low-carbon transition, making the low-carbon advancement of the construction sector urgent. Local governments play a crucial role in this process. This paper, utilizing provincial panel data from 2007 to 2021, empirically analyzes the impact of government environmental governance (EG) on the carbon intensity of the construction industry (CCEI) through the panel regression, spatial econometric and dynamic threshold models. The findings indicate that (1) EG has a significant inverted U-shaped effect on CCEI, with initial increases in carbon intensity followed by reductions once EG intensity surpasses a certain level. (2) Significant spatial spillover effects reveal that increased EG in one region exerts a similar inverted U-shaped impact on both local and neighboring CCEI. (3) Under China’s fiscal decentralization framework, two dimensions—vertical decentralization and horizontal competition—serve as forms of fiscal decentralization, each with dynamic threshold effects: EG’s influence on CCEI turns negative under high vertical decentralization, and positive under intense horizontal competition. These results could offer insights from China’s emission reduction experiences in the energy-intensive sector, serving as a valuable reference for environmental decision-makers worldwide.
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spelling doaj-art-0851b0d3857b4d5bafd92e7af3427bdc2025-08-20T02:22:26ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111410.1038/s41598-024-80599-5Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industryYuhao Sun0Minghui Liu1Yong Lv2School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong UniversitySchool of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong UniversityChina Harbour Engineering Company LimitedAbstract In recent years, China’s economic development is dominated by an eco-friendly and low-carbon transition, making the low-carbon advancement of the construction sector urgent. Local governments play a crucial role in this process. This paper, utilizing provincial panel data from 2007 to 2021, empirically analyzes the impact of government environmental governance (EG) on the carbon intensity of the construction industry (CCEI) through the panel regression, spatial econometric and dynamic threshold models. The findings indicate that (1) EG has a significant inverted U-shaped effect on CCEI, with initial increases in carbon intensity followed by reductions once EG intensity surpasses a certain level. (2) Significant spatial spillover effects reveal that increased EG in one region exerts a similar inverted U-shaped impact on both local and neighboring CCEI. (3) Under China’s fiscal decentralization framework, two dimensions—vertical decentralization and horizontal competition—serve as forms of fiscal decentralization, each with dynamic threshold effects: EG’s influence on CCEI turns negative under high vertical decentralization, and positive under intense horizontal competition. These results could offer insights from China’s emission reduction experiences in the energy-intensive sector, serving as a valuable reference for environmental decision-makers worldwide.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80599-5Government environmental governanceConstruction industryCarbon intensityFiscal decentralization
spellingShingle Yuhao Sun
Minghui Liu
Yong Lv
Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industry
Scientific Reports
Government environmental governance
Construction industry
Carbon intensity
Fiscal decentralization
title Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industry
title_full Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industry
title_fullStr Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industry
title_full_unstemmed Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industry
title_short Government environmental governance, fiscal decentralization, and carbon intensity of the construction industry
title_sort government environmental governance fiscal decentralization and carbon intensity of the construction industry
topic Government environmental governance
Construction industry
Carbon intensity
Fiscal decentralization
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80599-5
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AT minghuiliu governmentenvironmentalgovernancefiscaldecentralizationandcarbonintensityoftheconstructionindustry
AT yonglv governmentenvironmentalgovernancefiscaldecentralizationandcarbonintensityoftheconstructionindustry