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Pricing the Priceless: The Financing Cost of Biodiversity Conservation

Fukang Chen, Minhao Chen, Lin William Cong, Haoyu Gao, Jacopo Ponticelli, Feb 26, 2025

This study investigates the pricing of financial risks associated with biodiversity conservation, with a particular focus on the Green Shield Action, a major regulatory initiative launched in China in 2017 to enforce biodiversity preservation rules in national nature reserves. While the initiative improved biodiversity, it also significantly increased bond yields for municipalities that are home to these reserves, effectively raising the general cost of public capital. These effects were primarily driven by heightened default risks plausibly caused by transition costs from shutting down illegal economic activities within the reserves and additional public spending on biodiversity conservation, even when local governments raise the same amount of money. Furthermore, the study reveals that the biological benefits of these conservation policies were not adequately recognized or impounded into the prices by the capital markets.

Sharing the Entrepreneurial Wealth?

Josh Lerner, Junxi Liu, Jacob Moscona, David Yang, Jun 12, 2024

This article discussing the emergence of China in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship is reshaping the global entrepreneurial landscape, paving novel ways for achieving a broader wealth sharing.

Can Environmental Regulation Enhance Productivity? Evidence from China’s Industrial Sector

Yangsiyu Lu, Jacquelyn Pless, Feb 19, 2025

Our study also contributes to the broader discourse on industrial policy (see Juhász, Lane, and Rodrik 2023 for a recent review of related academic literature). As debates about green industrial policy gains traction in the U.S., Europe, and beyond, there is revived interest in developing a better understanding of how it might impact economic activity. Although economic growth and environmental regulation are often pitted against each other, our findings suggest that this need not be the case.

Building Tall, Falling Short: An Empirical Assessment of Chinese Skyscrapers

Ziyang Chen, Ting Chen, Yatang Lin, Jin Wang, Jun 04, 2025

Amid debates around state-led urbanization in developing countries, we analyze the causes and consequences of China’s skyscraper boom. We find that local governments often subsidize these projects through discounted land prices, motivated by political incentives. However, we find that such subsidies offer minimal long-term benefits, largely due to a mismatch with local conditions.

Does Farming Culture Shape Household Financial Decisions?

Fang Yu, May 01, 2024

This article discussing the collectivist culture from traditional rice farming in China leads households to prefer stock market investments and lottery purchases while reducing their need for insurance. This demonstrates the strong influence of cultural heritage on modern financial decisions and highlights the need to consider cultural factors in financial policy making.The collectivist culture from traditional rice farming in China leads households to prefer stock market investments and lottery purchases while reducing their need for insurance. This demonstrates the strong influence of cultural heritage on modern financial decisions and highlights the need to consider cultural factors in financial policy making.The collectivist culture from traditional rice farming in China leads households to prefer stock market investments and lottery purchases while reducing their need for insurance. This demonstrates the strong influence of cultural heritage on modern financial decisions and highlights the need to consider cultural factors in financial policy making.