Abstract
In response to global warming, China has made great efforts and implemented strict regulatory policies to reduce carbon emissions. This study extends the spatial Durbin model to assess the carbon reduction impacts of three types of environmental policies using 17 years of provincial panel data from China. The critical outcomes are as follows: First, carbon emissions and various environmental regulations have shown a simultaneous growth trend, and carbon emissions vary significantly between regions. Second, the links between different types of environmental regulations and carbon emissions differ. Specifically, stricter command-andcontrol regulations could reduce carbon emissions. However, only moderate levels of marketbased and voluntary environmental regulations could effectively reduce emissions. Finally, the carbon reduction effects of environmental regulation show spillover characteristics, indicating that environmental policies in the surrounding area would also affect local carbon emissions. These results offer a theoretical basis for optimizing the policies to maximize the carbon reduction effect and develop an optimal policy mix that resolves the tension between economic expansion and environmental protection.
https://ror.org/00ntfnx83 
