Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from China

Improved urban green total factor productivity contributes to the enhancement of the global ecological environment and the promotion of sustainable development. This paper constructs a multiperiod double-difference model using a quasi-natural experiment and investigates the impact of constructing ec...

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Main Authors: Zijian Wu, Lixiang Fu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1429406/full
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author Zijian Wu
Lixiang Fu
author_facet Zijian Wu
Lixiang Fu
author_sort Zijian Wu
collection DOAJ
description Improved urban green total factor productivity contributes to the enhancement of the global ecological environment and the promotion of sustainable development. This paper constructs a multiperiod double-difference model using a quasi-natural experiment and investigates the impact of constructing ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas on urban green total factor productivity based on data from 261 cities in China from 2007 to 2020. The results indicate that building ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas can elevate urban green total factor productivity, particularly in nonresource-based cities and medium-sized to large cities. The mechanism operates through two main channels: Enhancing government environmental concern and promoting the development of high-tech industries in the region. The findings of this study can offer Chinese insights for the global assessment of green city policies.
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institution Kabale University
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Environmental Science
spelling doaj-art-4c7fe8be84194dfda3d3f31e2ad3b0392025-08-20T03:56:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2025-07-011310.3389/fenvs.2025.14294061429406Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from ChinaZijian Wu0Lixiang Fu1School of Economics, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, ChinaSchool of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, ChinaImproved urban green total factor productivity contributes to the enhancement of the global ecological environment and the promotion of sustainable development. This paper constructs a multiperiod double-difference model using a quasi-natural experiment and investigates the impact of constructing ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas on urban green total factor productivity based on data from 261 cities in China from 2007 to 2020. The results indicate that building ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas can elevate urban green total factor productivity, particularly in nonresource-based cities and medium-sized to large cities. The mechanism operates through two main channels: Enhancing government environmental concern and promoting the development of high-tech industries in the region. The findings of this study can offer Chinese insights for the global assessment of green city policies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1429406/fullecological civilization pilot demonstration areasurban green total factor productivitymultiperiod double-difference modelquasi-natural experimentgreen city policy evaluation
spellingShingle Zijian Wu
Lixiang Fu
Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from China
Frontiers in Environmental Science
ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas
urban green total factor productivity
multiperiod double-difference model
quasi-natural experiment
green city policy evaluation
title Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from China
title_full Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from China
title_fullStr Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from China
title_full_unstemmed Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from China
title_short Can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity? Evidence from China
title_sort can the construction of ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas improve urban green total factor productivity evidence from china
topic ecological civilization pilot demonstration areas
urban green total factor productivity
multiperiod double-difference model
quasi-natural experiment
green city policy evaluation
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1429406/full
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AT lixiangfu cantheconstructionofecologicalcivilizationpilotdemonstrationareasimproveurbangreentotalfactorproductivityevidencefromchina