No Access

How Tourism Development Affects Carbon Emissions and Ecological Efficiency? The Case of China

School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

E-mail Address: jiamanli1996@163.com

Search for more papers by this author

and

Kangyin Dong

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5776-1498

School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

E-mail Address: dongkangyin@uibe.edu.cn

Corresponding author.

Search for more papers by this author

https://doi.org/10.1142/S1464333222500363Cited by:7 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

This paper aims to determine the dynamic influence of provincial tourism development on carbon emissions and ecological efficiency in China. For this purpose, the paper first develops a new index to evaluate the ecological efficiency and then utilises the SYS-GMM method by using the provincial data during 2004–2017. Besides, we explore the heterogeneous, asymmetric, and mediating impact effect in the tourism–carbon–ecological efficiency nexus. The following findings are highlighted: (1) An inverted U-shaped nexus exists between tourism development and carbon emissions, which confirms the existence of the tourism–environment Kuznets curve; (2) tourism development can promote ecological efficiency, and this positive impact of tourism on the economy is enhanced by the tourism infrastructure; (3) the impact of tourism development on carbon emissions is heterogeneous and asymmetric, while its influence on ecological efficiency is consistent; and (4) investment effect is the significant mediator. This paper puts forward several policy suggestions based on the conclusion.

Keywords:

JEL: C33, L83, P28, Q50, Q57

References

Akadiri, SS, AA Alola and AC Akadiri [2019] The role of globalization, real income, tourism in environmental sustainability target. Evidence from Turkey. Science of the Total Environment, 687, 423–432, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.139. Crossref, Google Scholar
Ali, Q, MR Yaseen, S Anwar, MSA Makhdum and MTI Khan [2021] The impact of tourism, renewable energy, and economic growth on ecological footprint and natural resources: A panel data analysis. Resources Policy, 74, 102365, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102365. Crossref, Google Scholar
Alola, AA and UV Alola [2018] Agricultural land usage and tourism impact on renewable energy consumption among Coastline Mediterranean Countries. Energy & Environment, 29, 1438–1454, https://doi.org/10.1177/0958305X18779577. Crossref, Google Scholar
Arellano, M and O Bover [1995] Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models. Journal of Econometrics, 68, 29–51, https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4076(94)01642-D. Crossref, Google Scholar
Azam, M, M Mahmudul Alam and M Haroon Hafeez [2018] Effect of tourism on environmental pollution: Further evidence from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Journal of Cleaner Production, 190, 330–338, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.04.168. Crossref, Google Scholar
Balli, E, C Sigeze, M Manga, S Birdir and K Birdir [2019] The relationship between tourism, CO₂ emissions and economic growth: A case of Mediterranean countries. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 24, 219–232, https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2018.1557717. Crossref, Google Scholar
Ben Jebli, M, S Ben Youssef and N Apergis [2019] The dynamic linkage between renewable energy, tourism, CO₂ emissions, economic growth, foreign direct investment, and trade. Latin American Economic Review, 28, 2, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40503-019-0063-7. Crossref, Google Scholar
Castilho, D, JA Fuinhas and AC Marques [2021] The impacts of the tourism sector on the eco-efficiency of the Latin American and Caribbean countries. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 78, 101089, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2021.101089. Crossref, Google Scholar
CEAD (2018). China Emission Accounts and Datasets. http://www.ceads.net/data/inventory-by-sectoral-approach/. Google Scholar
CSY (2020). National Bureau of Statistics, China Statistical Yearbook. http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/. Google Scholar
Danish and Z Wang [2018] Dynamic relationship between tourism, economic growth, and environmental quality. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26, 1928–1943, https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2018.1526293. Crossref, Google Scholar
Dogan, E, F Seker and S Bulbul [2017] Investigating the impacts of energy consumption, real GDP, tourism and trade on CO₂ emissions by accounting for cross-sectional dependence: A panel study of OECD countries. Current Issues in Tourism, 20, 1701–1719, https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2015.1119103. Crossref, Google Scholar
Dong, K, R Sun and G Hochman [2017] Do natural gas and renewable energy consumption lead to less CO₂ emission? Empirical evidence from a panel of BRICS countries. Energy, 141, 1466–1478, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2017.11.092. Crossref, Google Scholar
Dong, K, R Sun, H Jiang and X Zeng [2018] CO₂ emissions, economic growth, and the environmental Kuznets curve in China: What roles can nuclear energy and renewable energy play? Journal of Cleaner Production, 196, 51–63, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.271. Crossref, Google Scholar
Dong, K, F Taghizadeh-Hesary and J Zhao [2022] How inclusive financial development eradicates energy poverty in China? The role of technological innovation. Energy Economics, 109, 106007, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.106007. Crossref, Google Scholar
Dritsakis, N [2004] Tourism as a long-run economic growth factor: An empirical investigation for Greece using causality analysis. Tourism Economics, 10, 305–316, https://doi.org/10.5367/0000000041895094. Crossref, Google Scholar
Durbarry, R [2004] Tourism and economic growth: The case of Mauritius. Tourism Economics, 10, 389–401, https://doi.org/10.5367/0000000042430962. Crossref, Google Scholar
Erdogan, N and C Tosun [2009] Environmental performance of tourism accommodations in the protected areas: Case of Goreme Historical National Park. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28, 406–414, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2009.01.005. Crossref, Google Scholar
Eyuboglu, K and U Uzar [2020] The impact of tourism on CO₂ emission in Turkey. Current Issues in Tourism, 23, 1631–1645, https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2019.1636006. Crossref, Google Scholar
Frone, SM and DF Frone [2013] Sustainable tourism and water supply and sanitation development in Romania. Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management, 1, 140–153. Google Scholar
Gössling, S, P Peeters, J-P Ceron, G Dubois, T Patterson and RB Richardson [2005] The eco-efficiency of tourism. Ecological Economics, 54, 417–434, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.10.006. Crossref, Google Scholar
Habiba, U, C Xinbang and A Anwar [2022] Do green technology innovations, financial development, and renewable energy use help to curb carbon emissions? Renewable Energy, 193, 1082–1093, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.05.084. Crossref, Google Scholar
Han, Y, F Zhang, L Huang, K Peng and X Wang [2021] Does industrial upgrading promote eco-efficiency? — A panel space estimation based on Chinese evidence. Energy Policy, 154, 112286, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112286. Crossref, Google Scholar
He, J and S Hu [2022] Ecological efficiency and its determining factors in an urban agglomeration in China: The Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration. Urban Climate, 41, 101071, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2021.101071. Crossref, Google Scholar
Hong, S, ECM Hui and Y Lin [2022] Relationships between carbon emissions and urban population size and density, based on geo-urban scaling analysis: A multi-carbon source empirical study. Urban Climate, 46, 101337, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101337. Crossref, Google Scholar
Huang, J, J Xia, Y Yu and N Zhang [2018] Composite eco-efficiency indicators for China based on data envelopment analysis. Ecological Indicators, 85, 674–697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.10.040. Crossref, Google Scholar
Jiang, H-D, L-J Liu, K Dong and Y-W Fu [2022a] How will sectoral coverage in the carbon trading system affect the total oil consumption in China? A CGE-based analysis. Energy Economics, 110, 105996, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.105996. Crossref, Google Scholar
Jiang, H-D, P Purohit, Q-M Liang, K Dong and L-J Liu [2022b] The cost-benefit comparisons of China’s and India’s NDCs based on carbon marginal abatement cost curves. Energy Economics, 109, 105946, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.105946. Crossref, Google Scholar
Jones, C and M Munday [2004] Evaluating the economic benefits from tourism spending through input–output frameworks: Issues and cases. Local Economy, 19, 117–133, https://doi.org/10.1080/0269094042000203063. Crossref, Google Scholar
Khan, Z, S Ali, K Dong and RYM Li [2021] How does fiscal decentralization affect CO₂ emissions? The roles of institutions and human capital. Energy Economics, 94, 105060, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2020.105060. Crossref, Google Scholar
Kongbuamai, N, MW Zafar, SAH Zaidi and Y Liu [2020] Determinants of the ecological footprint in Thailand: The influences of tourism, trade openness, and population density. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 40171–40186, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09977-6. Crossref, Google Scholar
Kuang, H, Z Akmal and F Li [2022] Measuring the effects of green technology innovations and renewable energy investment for reducing carbon emissions in China. Renewable Energy, 197, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.06.091. Crossref, Google Scholar
Lenzen, M, Y-Y Sun, F Faturay, Y-P Ting, A Geschke and A Malik [2018] The carbon footprint of global tourism. Nature Climate Change, 8, 522–528, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0141-x. Crossref, Google Scholar
Li, J-M, X-C Dong, Q-Z Jiang and K-Y Dong [2022a] Urban natural gas demand and factors analysis in China: Perspectives of price and income elasticities. Petroleum Science, 19, 429–440, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2021.12.028. Crossref, Google Scholar
Li, R, X Wang and Q Wang [2022b] Does renewable energy reduce ecological footprint at the expense of economic growth? An empirical analysis of 120 countries. Journal of Cleaner Production, 346, 131207, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131207. Crossref, Google Scholar
Liu, J, J Zhang and Z Fu [2017] Tourism eco-efficiency of Chinese coastal cities — Analysis based on the DEA-Tobit model. Ocean & Coastal Management, 148, 164–170, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.08.003. Crossref, Google Scholar
Liu, G, X Dong, Z Kong and K Dong [2021] Does national air quality monitoring reduce local air pollution? The case of PM $_{2.5}$ for China. Journal of Environmental Management, 296, 113232, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113232. Crossref, Google Scholar
Liu, Y, F Sadiq, W Ali and T Kumail [2022] Does tourism development, energy consumption, trade openness and economic growth matters for ecological footprint: Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve and pollution haven hypothesis for Pakistan. Energy, 245, 123208, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2022.123208. Crossref, Google Scholar
Lu, Z, G Gozgor, CKM Lau and SR Paramati [2019] The dynamic impacts of renewable energy and tourism investments on international tourism: Evidence from the G20 countries. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 20, 1102–1120, https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2019.10181. Crossref, Google Scholar
Ma, M, W Feng, J Huo and X Xiang [2022] Operational carbon transition in the megalopolises’ commercial buildings. Building and Environment, 226, 109705, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109705. Crossref, Google Scholar
Mayor, K and RSJ Tol [2010] Scenarios of carbon dioxide emissions from aviation. Global Environmental Change, 20, 65–73, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.08.001. Crossref, Google Scholar
Mirbabayev, B and M Shagazatova (2006). The economic and social impact of tourism National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies. http://www.grips.ac.jp/alumni/UzbekistanTourism(2).pdf. Google Scholar
Paramati, SR, MS Alam and CF Chen [2017] The effects of tourism on economic growth and CO₂ emissions: A comparison between developed and developing economies. Journal of Travel Research, 56, 712–724, https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287516667848. Crossref, Google Scholar
Picazo-Tadeo, AJ, JA Gómez-Limón and E Reig-Martínez [2011] Assessing farming eco-efficiency: A Data Envelopment Analysis approach. Journal of Environmental Management, 92, 1154–1164, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.11.025. Crossref, Google Scholar
Ren, X, X Zhang, C Yan and G Gozgor [2022] Climate policy uncertainty and firm-level total factor productivity: Evidence from China. Energy Economics, 113, 106209, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.106209. Crossref, Google Scholar
Ren, X, J Li, F He and B Lucey [2023a] Impact of climate policy uncertainty on traditional energy and green markets: Evidence from time-varying granger tests. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 173, 113058, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2022.113058. Crossref, Google Scholar
Ren, X, Z Liu, C Jin and R Lin [2023b] Oil price uncertainty and enterprise total factor productivity: Evidence from China. International Review of Economics & Finance, 83, 201—218, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2022.08.024. Crossref, Google Scholar
Sáenz-de-Miera, O and J Rosselló [2013] Tropospheric ozone, air pollution and tourism: A case study of Mallorca. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21, 1232–1243, https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2013.776061. Crossref, Google Scholar
Schaltegger, S and A Sturm [1990] Ökologische Rationalität: Ansatzpunkte zur Ausgestaltung von ökologieorientierten Managementinstrumenten. Die Unternehmung, 44, 273–290. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24180467. Google Scholar
Shahbaz, M, J Li, X Dong and K Dong [2022] How financial inclusion affects the collaborative reduction of pollutant and carbon emissions: The case of China. Energy Economics, 107, 105847, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.105847. Crossref, Google Scholar
Sherafatian-Jahromi, R, MS Othman, SH Law and NW Ismail [2017] Tourism and CO₂ emissions nexus in Southeast Asia: New evidence from panel estimation. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 19, 1407–1423, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-016-9811-x. Crossref, Google Scholar
State Council (2021). The 14th five-year plan for tourism development. http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2022-01/20/content_5669468.htm. Google Scholar
Tovar, C and M Lockwood [2008] Social impacts of tourism: An Australian regional case study. International Journal of Tourism Research, 10, 365–378, https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.667. Crossref, Google Scholar
Wang, Y and X Chen [2020] Natural resource endowment and ecological efficiency in China: Revisiting resource curse in the context of ecological efficiency. Resources Policy, 66, 101610, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101610. Crossref, Google Scholar
Wang, Q and L Li [2021] The effects of population aging, life expectancy, unemployment rate, population density, per capita GDP, urbanization on per capita carbon emissions. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 28, 760–774, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021. 06.029. Crossref, Google Scholar
Wang, MC and CS Wang [2018] Tourism, the environment, and energy policies. Tourism Economics, https://doi.org/10.1177/1354816618781458. Crossref, Google Scholar
Wu, L, L Sun, P Qi, X Ren and X Sun [2021] Energy endowment, industrial structure upgrading, and CO₂ emissions in China: Revisiting resource curse in the context of carbon emissions. Resources Policy, 74, 102329, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021. 102329. Crossref, Google Scholar
Yan, R, X Xiang, W Cai and M Ma [2022] Decarbonizing residential buildings in the developing world: Historical cases from China. Science of the Total Environment, 847, 157679, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157679. Crossref, Google Scholar
Yao, J, P Xu and Z Huang [2021] Impact of urbanization on ecological efficiency in China: An empirical analysis based on provincial panel data. Ecological Indicators, 129, 107827, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107827. Crossref, Google Scholar
Yin, K, R Wang, Q An, L Yao and J Liang [2014] Using eco-efficiency as an indicator for sustainable urban development: A case study of Chinese provincial capital cities. Ecological Indicators, 36, 665–671, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.09.003. Crossref, Google Scholar
Zeng, J, Y Wen, C Bi and R Feiock [2021] Effect of tourism development on urban air pollution in China: The moderating role of tourism infrastructure. Journal of Cleaner Production, 280, 124397, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124397. Crossref, Google Scholar
Zhang, M, Z Yang, L Liu and D Zhou [2021] Impact of renewable energy investment on carbon emissions in China — An empirical study using a nonparametric additive regression model. Science of the Total Environment, 785, 147109, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147109. Crossref, Google Scholar
Zhang, L and J Gao [2016] Exploring the effects of international tourism on China’s economic growth, energy consumption and environmental pollution: Evidence from a regional panel analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 53, 225–234, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.08.040. Crossref, Google Scholar
Zhao, J, Q Jiang, X Dong, K Dong and H Jiang [2022] How does industrial structure adjustment reduce CO₂ emissions? Spatial and mediation effects analysis for China. Energy Economics, 105, 105704, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2021.105704. Crossref, Google Scholar
Zhu, Q and X Peng [2012] The impacts of population change on carbon emissions in China during 1978–2008. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 36, 1–8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2012.03.003. Crossref, Google Scholar