NADS Held "New Political Economy" Series of Lectures

Topic: 

The Politics of Firm-level Environmental Regulatory Actions in China: Does Fixed Asset Intensity Affect Punitive Actions and Firm Environmental Ratings?

Abstract:

How do local governments in China enforce environmental regulations at the firm level? This paper explores this question by focusing on the role of fixed asset intensity. Our analysis of key monitored polluting firms in the Jiangsu province from 2012 and 2014 shows that a high level of fixed asset intensity increases a firm’s environmental rating by the government, but at the same time also increases its chances of receiving a government punitive action (e.g., fines, suspension, and rectification). It seems that local governments in Jiangsu target firms with higher fixed asset intensity (therefore less mobile) with punitive actions to address pollution issues. However, they also compensate these firms with better environmental ratings (which carry benefits of better access to loans, among other things), because such firms enjoy market power thanks to high market entry barriers created by high fixed asset intensities.

Speaker: Li Xiaojun, Department of Poiltical Science, University of British Columbia

Moderator: Nie Huihua, Standing Deputy Dean of NADS RUC and Deputy Director of Scientific Research Division

Time: Oct.17 2018, Wednesday, 15:00-16:30

Venue：Room 2310, No.2 Public Teaching Building

Introduction of Li Xiaojun:

Doctor of Political Science at Stanford University, postdoctoral fellow at the "China and the World" Program jointly held by Princeton-Harvard University, is currently an Assistant Professor of Political Science Department at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Fellow of the Asian Research Institute. His main research interests are international and comparative political economics, and published more than 10 papers in the Asian Survey, the Canadian Journal of Political Science, and the Chinese Journal of International Politics, Foreign Policy Analysis, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Contemporary China and other SSCI journals.