Topic： Access to Green Justice and Corporate Carbon Emission: Evidence from the Establishment of Environmental Courts
Speaker： Zhong Yuxiang, School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Host: Li Zhi, School of Accounting, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
Time：April 23rd, 10:00—11:30
Location: Room 650, Chengzheng Building
Organizers： School of Accounting, Research Office
Speaker’s Profile:
Dr. Zhong Yuxiang is a lecturer in the Department of Accounting at the School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, where he also serves as a supervisor for master's students. His primary research interests include institutional environment and corporate behavior, asset pricing, and cross-border accounting research. Dr. Zhong obtained his Ph.D. in Management from the School of Management, Xi'an Jiaotong University in 2019, after completing his Bachelor's degree in Management from Wuhan University in 2012. From August 2015 to August 2018, he underwent joint training at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research findings have been published in various domestic and international journals, including the Journal of Banking & Finance, Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, International Review of Financial Analysis, Journal of International Accounting Research, Journal of Management Sciences, and Nankai Management Review. He also serves as a peer reviewer for journals such as the International Review of Financial Analysis, Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, China Accounting and Finance Review, and Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions, and Money.
Lecture Preview：
Global warming has been a growing global concern that forces regulators to find ways to promote green justice, impose significant environmental litigation costs on firms and, in turn, reduce environmental damage. We examine whether the staggered establishment of environmental courts and tribunals (ECTs) in different countries effectively motivates firms to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We find firms exhibit significant reductions in GHG after their countries establish ECTs. Cross-sectional tests reveal that firms reduce their GHG emission by a larger margin when a few country-level and firm-level characteristics predict that the establishment of ECTs represents a stronger shock to the enforcement quality. Overall, our paper suggests that the establishment of ECTs can facilitate public access to green justice and motivate firms to reduce their GHG emission.
