Econ Papers Daily / 期刊论文
劳动力集聚与低碳转型：来自中国城市群发展战略的证据
Labor agglomeration and low-carbon transition: Evidence from China’s city cluster development strategies
摘要
Labor agglomeration is an essential driver of urban economies, yet administrative fragmentation has often constrained its efficiency. City Cluster Development Strategies (CCDS) have reshaped the dynamics of labor concentration, but how this reorganized labor agglomeration translates into low-carbon transitions remains underexplored. Using panel data from 210 cities within CCDS from 2008 to 2022 in China, this study constructs a spatially aware labor agglomeration index and employs fixed-effect models to examine its impact on decarbonization. The results reveal that a 10% increase in agglomeration reduces carbon intensity by 1.85%. This effect is more pronounced in regions with advanced urbanization, favorable human capital structures, inter-provincial city clusters, and late-developing cities. Mechanism analysis reveals that labor concentration drives decarbonization by optimizing industrial structures, fostering green innovation, and enhancing scale economies. These findings highlight how unlocking the structural dividend of demographic agglomeration can advance low-carbon development and inform other regions pursuing sustainable urban transitions.
中文摘要
劳动力集聚是城市经济的重要驱动力，但行政分割往往制约其效率。城市群发展战略重塑了劳动力集聚的动态，然而这种重组后的劳动力集聚如何转化为低碳转型仍缺乏深入探讨。本研究利用2008年至2022年中国城市群发展战略内210个城市的面板数据，构建了具有空间意识的劳动力集聚指数，并采用固定效应模型考察其对脱碳的影响。结果表明，集聚程度每提高10%，碳强度下降1.85%。这一效应在城镇化水平较高、人力资本结构有利、跨省城市群以及后发城市中更为显著。机制分析表明，劳动力集聚通过优化产业结构、促进绿色创新和增强规模经济来推动脱碳。这些发现凸显了释放人口集聚的结构性红利如何能够推进低碳发展，并为其他寻求可持续城市转型的地区提供借鉴。