Environmental regulation, human capital, and pollutant emissions: the case of SO2 emissions for China

Dong, K., Zhao, J., Ren, X. and Shi, Y. (2023) Environmental regulation, human capital, and pollutant emissions: the case of SO2 emissions for China. Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, 21(1), pp. 111-135. (doi: 10.1080/14765284.2022.2106539)

Abstract

This study aims to explore whether the impact of environmental regulation on pollution emissions varies across China’s regions under different human capital levels. And whether environmental regulation will affect sulfur emissions through human capital is also examined. The empirical results conclude that: (1) environmental protection investment cannot effectively contribute to sulfur emission reduction for the full sample; (2) environmental regulation can aggravate pollution emissions when human capital is low, while human capital is in a high-level, enhanced regulation can help reduce pollution emissions; and (3) environmental regulation can help strengthen sulfur reduction through human capital accumulation; however, the reduction of sulfur emissions by human capital cannot offset the direct positive effect of environmental regulation on sulfur emissions.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Funding: This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province [2022JJ40647]; Beijing Social Science Foundation [21LLLJC028].
• Keywords: Environmental regulation, human capital. pollution emissions, mediation effect, China.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Shi, Dr Yukun
• Authors: Dong, K., Zhao, J., Ren, X., and Shi, Y.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Accounting and Finance
• Journal Name: Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1476-5284
• ISSN (Online): 1476-5292
• Published Online: 30 July 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Chinese Economic Association – UK
• First Published: First published in Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies 21(1): 111-135
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy