The concept of “smart cities” plays a positive role in the overall green and sustainable development of a nation. However, it is still debated whether smart cities can restrain the carbon emission intensity at the micro-level and promote the green transformation of enterprises. To this end, based on China's smart city policy (SCP) and regional enterprise data from 2008 to 2015, we study the impact of SCP on the carbon emission intensity of local enterprises, using the difference-in-differences method. The results show that SCP significantly reduces the carbon emission intensity of enterprises, and the estimated results remain significant after the propensity score matching. The mechanism analysis finds that digital transformation, innovation by enterprises, and urban green innovation all strengthen the impact of SCP on the carbon emission intensity of enterprises. The conclusions extend the scope of the existing research and provide suggestions for micro-enterprises to take advantage of SCP for better development.
Whether third-degree price discrimination improves or damages social welfare has always been a hot topic for scholars of economics. At present, research studies on the impact of third-degree price discrimination on welfare have not been carried out under asymmetric price competition. To this end, we studied this problem. In the research process, we divided consumers into two market segments by setting different travel costs based on the Hotelling model; at the same time, we considered three scenarios in which both firms engage in uniform pricing, both engage in price discrimination, and price discrimination vs. uniform pricing, and some intriguing findings and conclusions that differ from the previous studies were obtained through game analysis: (1) compared with two symmetric price games, the total output effect of each firm is unchanged, but the total social welfare is reduced, and as the size of the strong market increases, the reduction effect of total social welfare increases first and then decreases; (2) from local social welfare analysis, although the output of the firm adopting price discrimination remains unchanged, it can produce more producer surplus, consumer surplus and social welfare third-degree; (3) while the firm that uses uniform pricing is at a disadvantage in competition, the local social welfare created by it is decreased, and the reduction effect of social welfare will increase first and then decrease as the increase of the size of the strong market occurs. These conclusions reveal in an oligopoly market why enterprises always choose price discrimination and the government acquiesces in the existence of price discrimination.
IntroductionGreen finance plays a crucial role in driving sustainable development and has the potential to effectively reduce pollution emissions, thereby positively impacting the environment. However, in the agricultural sector, China, unlike developed countries, primarily relies on a small-peasant economy, and the green financial system is not well-developed. As a result, the specific emission reduction effects and mechanisms of green finance on agricultural non-point source pollution (ANSP) remain unclear. The objective of our research is to explore the internal mechanisms through which green finance influences ANSP, with the aim of providing valuable policy insights to the government and promoting the green transformation of agriculture for enhanced food security.MethodsThis study employs an empirical analysis of green finance on ANSP using provincial panel data from China spanning the years 2005 to 2020. By utilizing robust data and applying empirical analysis, we can derive scientifically credible conclusions. We introduce a relative indicator to assess the trend of ANSP and investigate the pathways through which green finance operates using heterogeneity analysis, intermediary effect evaluation, and threshold effect analysis.Results and DiscussionThe empirical findings reveal the following insights: (1) While green finance demonstrates a significant reduction effect on ANSP, this effect varies across different regions. Specifically, the impact of green finance on ANSP reduction is more pronounced in areas characterized by strong comprehensive agricultural strength, high levels of economic development, and predominantly focused on plantation agriculture. (2) From a mechanistic standpoint, green finance substantially diminishes ANSP by facilitating agricultural scaling and promoting the adoption of green technologies. (3) The threshold effect analysis demonstrates that the mitigation effect of green finance on ANSP exhibits non-linear characteristics, with a double threshold effect observed. As the level of green finance development increases, the mitigation effect is further enhanced.ConclusionIn conclusion, the appropriate implementation of green finance can effectively enhance the agricultural environment and ensure food security. Considering the heterogeneity of the role of green finance and the presence of threshold values, it is crucial for the government to tailor green finance policies according to local conditions. This research not only expands on previous studies but also offers valuable insights for the government in formulating green finance policies. Furthermore, it provides a viable pathway for reducing ANSP while serving as a reference for other developing countries aiming to establish green agriculture and sustain food system security.
With the increasing distrust of food safety, both third-party certification systems (TPC) and participatory guarantee systems (PGS) play a vital role in restoring consumer trust. Although the fact that previous research has focused on consumer trust and the factors that impact it in TPC products, little emphasis has been made on how consumer participation in certification affects trust. The goal of the study was to explore how consumer participation certification affects trust in eco-agricultural products under PGS. We constructed a theoretical framework of consumer trust in eco-agricultural products under PGS, based on consumer trust theory, and clarified the relationship between consumer participation certification, information quality, social identity, and consumer trust. After obtaining 238 valid questionnaires on consumers from 12 PGS organizations nationwide, a structural equation model (SEM) was conducted. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Consumer participation has a positive impact on consumer trust, and the direct effect is not significant, but the indirect effect is significant; (2) Information quality and social identity have been identified to play full intermediary roles in the relationship between consumer participation and trust. We suggest relevant research implications and recommendations for future research on consumer trust in PGS based on the findings.
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