【主讲】汤昕 助教授 (武汉大学)
【主题】The Size Distribution of Firms and Industrial Pollution
【时间】2016年9月26日 (周一) 13：00-14：30
【地点】上海财经大学经济学院楼701室
【语言】英文
【摘要】We show that product market frictions amplify industrial pollution by distorting the firm size distribution in China. Using a unique firm level data from China, we find that larger firms are more likely to use clean technology, and emit less pollutants per unit value of output. We also provide evidence of product market frictions that disproportionately affect larger firms. In a heterogeneous firm model with an endogenous choice of pollution treatment technology, we show that size-dependent frictions lower the adoption rate of clean technology, amplify aggregate pollution, and lower aggregate output. Our quantitative results show that eliminating size-dependent frictions would increase mean firm size by 130% and aggregate output by 30%. Meanwhile, the fraction of firms using clean technology would increase by 27% and aggregate pollution decrease by 20%. In contrast, tightening environmental regulations would result in a sizable decrease in aggregate pollution, but have a negligible effect on aggregate output.
