A Literature Review on the Impact of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zone Construction on Regional Green Development

Authors

  • Guanping Han College of Tourism, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/xzb9gj73

Keywords:

National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zone, Green Development, Environmental Regulation, Policy Effect Evaluation, Literature Review

Abstract

Establishing National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones is a strategic initiative for China's ecological reform. This paper reviews the zones' background and goals, defines green development, and summarizes research on their impact from theoretical, perspective, and methodological dimensions. Current studies focus on the relationship between environmental regulation and green development, identifying "compliance cost," "innovation compensation," and non-linear effects. Empirically, scholars use quasi-natural experiments like DID and SCM to assess policy effects on economic structure, carbon efficiency, and Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP), revealing significant heterogeneity across zones like Fujian, Jiangxi, and Guizhou. Finally, the paper highlights gaps in multidisciplinary integration, long-term tracking, and international comparison, offering an outlook to support future ecological construction.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Notice on Issuing the "List of Reform Measures and Experiences for Promotion in National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones" [EB/OL]. (2020-11-25)[2023-05-25]. http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2020-11/29/content_5565697.htm.

[2] Weili Hou. Research on Green Development Issues in China in the 21st Century [J]. Academic Journal of Nanyang Normal University (Social Sciences), 2004, (3): 106-110.

[3] Pingchuan Ma, Duogui Yang, Yingying Lei. Macro-judgment of the Green Development Process—Taking Shanghai as an Example [J]. China Population, Resources and Environment, 2011, (S2): 454-458.

[4] 2Hongbo Ma. The Basic Connotation and Major Significance of Green Development [J]. Pandeng, 2011, (2): 67-70.

[5] Angang Hu, Shaojie Zhou. Green Development: Functional Definition, Mechanism Analysis and Development Strategy [J]. China Population, Resources and Environment, 2014, (1): 14-20.

[6] Lingling Wang, Yanguo Zhang. Probing into the Connotation of "Green Development" [J]. Socialism Studies, 2012(5): 143-146.

[7] Nanping Jiang, Renkang Xiang. Several Issues on the Green Development of China's Economy [J]. Contemporary Economic Research, 2013(2): 50-54.

[8] 2Haiqin Wang, Shiji Gao. The Sprouting, Starting and Policy Evolution of China's Green Development: Observations on Several Stages [J]. Reform, 2016(3): 6-26.

[9] Yun Tong, Haimeng Liu, Yong Ma. The Impact of China's Tourism Economy on Urban Green Development and Its Spatial Spillover Effects [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2021, 10.

[10] Joint Task Force of the World Bank and the Development Research Center of the State Council. China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative Society. Beijing: China Financial and Economic Publishing House, 2013.

[11] Sustainable Development Strategy Research Group, Chinese Academy of Sciences. China Sustainable Development Strategy Report: Green Development and Innovation. Beijing: Science Press, 2013.

[12] Huajun Liu, Qianmin Wu. The Path of China's Green Development in the New Era over the Past Decade [J]. China Population, Resources and Environment, 2024, 34(3): 102-111.

[13] Xie,R.H.Environmental regulation, induced innovation, and growth of green productivity in China.Ind.Econ.Res.2017,2,38–48.

[14] Yuan,B.;Xiang, Q. Environmental regulation, industrial innovation and green development of Chinese manufacturing: Based on an extended CDM model. J. Clean. Prod. 2018, 176, 895–908. [CrossRef] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.034

[15] Wu, G.Z.; You, D.M. The influence mechanism of environmental regulation on technology innovation and green total factor productivity: Based on the moderating effect of fiscal decentralization.J.Ind. Eng. Eng. Manag. 2019,33,37–50.

[16] Chen, C.; Lan, Q.; Gao, M.; Sun, Y. Green total factor productivity growth and its determinants in China’s industrial economy.Sustainability 2018,10,1052. [CrossRef] DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041052

[17] Yawei Xue, Nan Zhang. Research on the Transmission Mechanism of Environmental Regulation Affecting Green Development of Resource-based Cities under Multiple Heterogeneities [J]. Journal of China University of Petroleum (Edition of Social Sciences), 2023, 39(03): 18-26.

[18] Lin Chen, Haijun Wu. Research Status and Potential Problems of the Difference-in-Differences Method in China [J]. The Journal of Quantitative & Technical Economics, 2015, 32(7): 133-148.

[19] Shuigen Hu, Yulong Jie. The Model of Administrative Approval Bureau: Why Effective, Why Ineffective? — Empirical Analysis of Policy Effects Based on the Perspective of Market Entities [J]. Journal of Shanghai Administration Institute, 2022, 23(1): 16-27.

[20] Youjin Liu, Xiaoming Zeng. The Impact of Property Tax on Industrial Transfer: Empirical Evidence from Chongqing and Shanghai [J]. China Industrial Economics, 2018, (11): 98-166.

[21] Li Zhou, Chunrui Ge. Melissa Dell's Main Contributions to the Development of Economic Theory—Academic Evaluation of the 2020 John Bates Clark Medal Winner [J]. Contemporary Economic Research, 2020(8): 40-52.

[22] Shihua Luo, Dong Wang. The Impact Effect of Carbon Trading Policy on Provincial Total Factor Energy Efficiency [J]. Economic Geography, 2022, 42(7): 53-61.

[23] Shenglong Liu, Shaojie Zhou, Angang Hu. The Compulsory Education Law and the Returns to Urban Education in China: Based on Regression Discontinuity Design [J]. Economic Research Journal, 2016, 51(2): 154-167.

[24] Yunsong Chen. Logic, Imagination, and Interpretation: Application of Instrumental Variables in Causal Inference in Social Sciences [J]. Sociological Studies, 2012, 27(6): 192-216.

[25] Chang Chen, Hong Gu, Yan Liu. Research on the Policy Effects of High-Quality Economic Development in National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones [J]. Ecological Economy, 2023, 39(1): 215-222.

[26] Yan Li, Peng Wang, Jingwei Liang. Research on the Impact of Ecotourism Demonstration Zones on Regional Economic Green Development: Based on the Perspective of Quasi-Natural Experiments [J]. Inquiry into Economic Issues, 2020(2): 21-30.

[27] Hu J , Hu M, Zhang H. Has the construction of ecological civilization promoted green innovation ?[J].Environmental Technology & Innovation, 2023,29(11): 1-13 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2022.102960

[28] Manqian Xu, Senwei Huang, Zhenxiang Deng, Yujing Xin. The Impact of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zone Construction on Agricultural Carbon Emission Intensity—A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on Panel Data of 30 Provinces [J]. Ecological Economy, 2024, 40(8).

[29] Mingdou Zhang, Yangyang Dai. Does the Construction of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones Help Improve Carbon Emission Efficiency? — Empirical Analysis Based on Synthetic Control Method [J]. Journal of Nanjing Audit University, 2023(06).

[30] Jianbo Hu, Gang Xiang. Has the Construction of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones Improved Carbon Productivity? — Empirical Analysis Using Regression Control Method [J]. "Dual Carbon" Goals and Green Low-Carbon Development, DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8131.2023.02.004.

[31] Cheng Shu, Peiyang Zhu, Bo Xu. Measurement of Green Development Level and Analysis of Spatial Differentiation in Jiangxi Province [J]. Economic Geography, 2021(6): 180-186.

[32] Chun Fu, Huanrui Ouyang, Xueru Zhao. Measurement and Evaluation of Green Development Efficiency in Jiangxi Province Based on DEA and Malmquist Index Model [J]. Ecological Economy, 2020, 36(6).

[33] Baogui Xin, Feifei Gao. Do Ecological Civilization Pilots Help Improve Ecological Total Factor Productivity? [J]. China Population, Resources and Environment, 2021(5): 152-162.

[34] Jiayou Chen, Xian Li. Research on the Impact and Spillover Effects of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones on Provincial Green Total Factor Productivity [J]. Journal of Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, 2023-04.

[35] Zhenggen Fan, Zhikang Deng, Puwei Zhang, et al. Measurement of Green Development Efficiency in Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones and Its Influencing Mechanism [J]. Statistics and Decision, 2022, 38(5): 75-79.

[36] Hongfei Chen, Shunchun Huang. Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets: Evidence from National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones in Fujian, Jiangxi, and Guizhou [J]. Ecological Economy, 2022, 38(8): 204-212.

[37] Juan Wen, Changrong Ling. Research on Tourism Efficiency Evaluation of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones [J]. Ecological Economy, 2018, 34(6): 228-231.

[38] HOU J, ZHOU R, DING F, et al. Does the construction of ecological civilization institution system promote the green innovation of enterprises? A quasi-natural experiment based on China’s national ecological civilization pilot zones [J].Environmental Science and Pollution research, 2022, 29( 44) : 67362-67379. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20523-4

[39] WANG H, GENG Y, ZHANG J, et al. Ecological civilization demonstration zone, air pollution reduction, and political promotion tournament in China: Empirical evidence from a quasi-natural experim(22) : 11880. ent[J]. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021, 18 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211880

[40] 2Hanjin Xie, Yurui Mao, Cheng Li. National Ecological Civilization Construction and Air Quality Improvement—Double Verification from Synthetic Control Method and DID [J]. Ecological Economy, 2021, 37(2): 209-215+229.

[41] Qi Liang, Suping Xiao, Yubo Liu. Research on the Impact and Mechanism of Environmental Policies on Urban Ecological Efficiency—Based on the Quasi-Natural Experiment of Ecological Civilization Pilot Demonstration Zones [J]. Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University (Social Sciences), 2022, 42(3): 61-70.

[42] Keliang Wang, Ruyu Xu, Fuqin Zhang, et al. The Impact of the Construction of Ecological Civilization Pilot Demonstration Zones on Carbon Emission Intensity [J]. China Population, Resources and Environment, 2022, 32(7): 57-70.

[43] Yang Q,Gao D, Song D, et al. Environmental regulation, pollution reduction and green innovation: The case of the Chinese Water Ecological Civilization City Pilot policy [J].Economic Systems,2021,45(4):1-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecosys.2021.100911

[44] Lyu L,Kan D, Yao W, etal. Has China's pilot policy of Water Ecological CivilizationCityconstructionreducedwaterpollutionin-tensity?[J].Land,2022,11(11):1-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/land11111999

[45] Fan H,Tao S, HashmiS H. Does the construction of a Water Ecological Civilization City improve green total factor productivity? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China [J].Interational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,2021,18(22):1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211829

[46] Jianmin You, Wei Zhang. Research on Green Manufacturing Performance Evaluation and Influencing Factors of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones—Taking Guizhou as an Example [J]. Guizhou Social Sciences, 2018(12).

[47] 2Yingwu Zhang, Jin Tan, Yujia Jiang. How Do National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones Improve Hainan's Green Economic Efficiency? [J]. Journal of Hainan University (Humanities & Social Sciences), 2024(01).

Downloads

Published

25-02-2026

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Han, G. (2026). A Literature Review on the Impact of National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zone Construction on Regional Green Development. International Journal of World Economic Research, 1(1), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.54097/xzb9gj73