创新型产业集群政策如何影响区域环境治理——基于多时点双重差分模型的验证

How Does the Innovative Industrial Cluster Policy Affect Regional Environmental Governance? Evidence from a Multi-period Difference-in-differences Model

摘要:

统筹经济发展与环境保护是实现高质量发展的核心要义,作为推动产业转型升级的重要举措,创新型产业集群政策的环境治理效应值得深入探讨。基于2010—2022年257个地级市面板数据,采用多时点双重差分模型,系统评估了创新型产业集群政策对城市环境质量的影响及其作用机制。结果表明:①创新型产业集群政策显著改善了城市环境质量,该结论经过平行趋势检验、安慰剂检验、PSM-DID等一系列稳健性与内生性检验后依然成立,但受制于地理区位、资源禀赋、环境制度基础以及市场化程度的影响,其政策效应存在显著的异质性。②机制分析揭示,环境优化效应主要通过激励绿色技术创新、引导产业结构升级及发挥数字化绿色传导功能这三条路径得到实现,同时数字化在其中扮演释放环境红利的先决门槛。③进一步分析发现,该政策的环境治理效应具有阶段性特征,政策效果随时间推移呈现出边际效应递减趋势。从空间维度考察发现该政策在提升本地环境质量的同时有效降低了邻近地区的环境污染水平,表现出积极的空间溢出效应。研究结论为新发展格局下实现产业发展与环境优化的协同治理提供了实证依据,也为政策制定者因地制宜推进创新型产业集群布局、释放数字化赋能潜力、提升区域环境协同治理水平提供了有益参考。

Abstract:

Balancing economic development with environmental protection is central to achieving high-quality development. As a key measure for promoting industrial transformation and upgrading, the environmental governance effects of the pilot policy for innovative industrial clusters warrant in-depth examination. Based on panel data from 257 prefecture-level cities covering the period from 2010 to 2022, a multi-period difference-in-differences model was applied to systematically evaluate the impact of the innovative industrial cluster policy on urban environmental quality. The results indicate that the innovative industrial cluster policy significantly improves urban environmental quality. This conclusion remains valid after a series of robustness and endogeneity tests, including parallel trends tests, placebo tests, and PSM-DID. However, the policy effects exhibit significant heterogeneity, influenced by factors such as geographic location, resource endowments, the institutional foundation for environmental protection and the degree of marketization. Mechanism analysis reveals that the environmental optimization effects are primarily achieved through three pathways: incentivizing green technological innovation, guiding industrial restructuring, and leveraging the green transmission function of digitalization. Simultaneously, digitalization serves as a prerequisite for unlocking environmental dividends. Further analysis indicates that the environmental governance effects of this policy exhibit phased characteristics, with policy effectiveness showing a trend of diminishing marginal returns over time. From a spatial perspective, the policy pilot not only improved local environmental quality but also effectively reduced environmental pollution levels in neighboring areas, demonstrating positive spatial spillover effects. The conclusions provide empirical evidence for achieving synergistic governance between industrial development and environmental optimization under the new development paradigm, offering valuable insights for policymakers seeking to promote the development of innovative industrial clusters in a manner tailored to local conditions, unlock the potential of digital empowerment, and enhance the level of regional environmental governance.