Unveiling Environmental Governance Dynamics: Evaluating the Impact of Provincial Government Officials' Corporate Backgrounds on Local Carbon Emissions in China

Abstract

Abstract The nexus between the corporate experiences of local officials and their proclivity for fostering economic growth has long been acknowledged. This study delves into a critical inquiry arising from this connection: does the background in enterprise predispose local officials to prioritize economic development at the expense of green initiatives? Leveraging a dataset spanning 1998 to 2019 and encompassing provincial governors and party secretaries across 30 Chinese provinces, we empirically explore the impact of local officials' corporate careers on regional carbon emissions. Our findings underscore a significant association between the antecedent corporate backgrounds of local officials and heightened carbon emissions within their administered regions. The magnitude of this influence varies, contingent on factors such as the nature of their prior corporate affiliations, promotion incentives, interregional transfers, tenure in office, and the energy resources and economic development context of their jurisdictions. Moreover, our analysis reveals a nuanced dynamic: as the top-down "performance orientation" shifts from an exclusive emphasis on economic development to a dual focus on both economic and environmental considerations, local officials' corporate backgrounds emerge as a mitigating factor, reducing the intensity of carbon emissions in their regions. Further mechanism testing discerns a distinct dual impact of local officials with corporate backgrounds. In the realm of environmental performance, there is a marked reduction in environmental investments within their jurisdiction during their tenure. Simultaneously, within the sphere of economic performance, these officials exhibit a significant upswing in the proliferation of "large-scale industrial enterprises, foreign investment, and public expenditure," emblematic of heightened carbon emissions. This research not only provides insights into the persistent challenge of China's historically elevated carbon emissions from the perspective of local officials but also offers valuable references for government governance structures aiming to achieve the objectives of "dual carbon" targets.