Browsing by Author "Shi, X"

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    Can green credit policy stimulate firms’ green investments?
    (International Review of Economics and Finance, 2024-03-01) Ma, Y; Lu, L; Cui, J; Shi, X
    Green credit policy, a market-oriented green financial tool, aims to achieve simultaneous economic development and environmental protection. Utilizing china's 2012 green credit policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper employs a difference-in-differences method to explore its causal impact on Chinese firms' green investment behavior. The empirical results indicate that the green credit policy significantly stimulates the green investments of firms in pollution-intensive sectors compared to those in non-pollution-intensive sectors. This finding remains robust across various tests, including parallel trends, dynamic effects, confounding factors, and alternative methods. Furthermore, the green investment-induced effect is reinforced by the supplementary green credit policy introduced in 2018. The heterogeneity effect reveals that the green credit policy facilitates the green investments of firms with undisclosed environmental information. Additionally, the study finds that the green investment-induced effects are more pronounced among firms with soft financial constraints, limited access to government subsidies, state-owned firms, and larger sizes. These findings shed light on the crucial role of green finance policy in promoting green recovery, suggesting that the government should increase the provision of green credit in terms of quantity and scope.
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    Relationship between giant panda populations and selected ecosystem services
    (Ecosystem Services, 2020-08-01) Zhang, J; Pimm, SL; Xu, W; Shi, X; Xiao, Y; Kong, L; Fan, X; Ouyang, Z
    The Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Targets address both biodiversity and ecosystem services. We explore the relationship between giant panda populations and three ecosystem services: carbon sequestration, water retention, and soil retention. Do pandas prefer areas with higher than average values of these services? Areas may be good for pandas but not for these ecosystem services, and vice versa. Answering these questions can focus panda conservation. We map their spatial distribution and temporal changes from 2000 to 2015, by watershed, to target future protected areas for both pandas and these ecosystem services. Pandas occupy watersheds with above-average carbon sequestration and water retention. There is no tendency for pandas to be increasing in watersheds that have higher than average values of these ecosystem services or in watersheds where they are improving. Protected areas represented watersheds with higher than average values of these ecosystem services but without pandas only poorly. Watersheds with pandas do provide higher than average ecosystem services, but watersheds above average for these ecosystem services often lack pandas. Those areas might be potentially important for pandas, but obstacles block their way. We identified conservation areas combining habitats, population, activity range, and higher than average values of these ecosystem services and then proposed new protected areas.
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    Serum cholesterol levels within the high normal range are associated with better cognitive performance among Chinese elderly
    (Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, 2016-03-01) Lv, YB; Yin, ZX; Chei, CL; Brasher, MS; Zhang, J; Kraus, VB; Qian, F; Shi, X; Matchar, DB; Zeng, Y
    Objectives: The association between cognitive function and cholesterol levels is poorly understood and inconsistent results exist among the elderly. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of cholesterol level with cognitive performance among Chinese elderly. Design: A cross-sectional study was implemented in 2012 and data were analyzed using generalized additive models, linear regression models and logistic regression models. Setting: Community-based setting in eight longevity areas in China. Subjects: A total of 2000 elderly aged 65 years and over (mean 85.8±12.0 years) participated in this study. Measurements: Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration were determined and cognitive impairment was defined as Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score≤23. Results: There was a significant positive linear association between TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C and MMSE score in linear regression models. Each 1 mmol/L increase in TC, TG, LDL-C and HDL-C corresponded to a decreased risk of cognitive impairment in logistic regression models. Compared with the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of TC, LDL-C and HDL-C had a lower risk of cognitive impairment. The adjusted odds ratios and 95% CI were 0.73(0.62–0.84) for TC, 0.81(0.70–0.94) for LDL-C and 0.81(0.70–0.94) for HDL-C. There was no gender difference in the protective effects of high TC and LDL-C levels on cognitive impairment. However, for high HDL-C levels the effect was only observed in women. High TC, LDL-C and HDL-C levels were associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment in the oldest old (aged 80 and older), but not in the younger elderly (aged 65 to 79 years). Conclusions: These findings suggest that cholesterol levels within the high normal range are associated with better cognitive performance in Chinese elderly, specifically in the oldest old. With further validation, low cholesterol may serve a clinical indicator of risk for cognitive impairment in the elderly.
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    Teak-cattle production tradeoffs for Panama Canal Watershed small scale producers
    (Forest Policy and Economics, 2015-01-01) Stefanski, SF; Shi, X; Hall, JS; Hernandez, A; Fenichel, EP
    © 2015 Elsevier B.V.Reforestation and forest conservation are important issues in the Panama Canal Watershed (PCW). Uncertainty remains about relative net benefits of profit-maximizing timber rotations compared to the net present value of incumbent land uses such as cattle ranching. The scientific and popular literatures have displayed enthusiasm for teak (Tectona grandis) and native species plantations. We estimate a realistic yield model for teak, an exotic tree species, based on growth data from actual small scale landholders who were incentivized to convert lands to teak plantations. We use a suite of well fit yield models to solve for the optimal Faustmann rotation and compute the net present value (NPV) of a teak plantation to a private land manager as a starting point for understanding land-use patterns. We compare the NPV from forestry to cattle and find that site characteristics, discount rates, and market prices are all important factors in influencing the land manager's decision to switch from cattle ranching to plantation forestry. We find that traditional cattle ranching is economically competitive, in terms of NPV, with and may often outperform teak plantations within the PCW. This result is robust to the teak yield model selected.