ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Evolutionary Game Analysis of the Government
and Enterprises in the Low-Carbon Utilization
of Urban Industrial Land: Evidence from China
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1
School of Public Administration, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing 210023, China
2
Institute of Quantitative and Technological Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100732, China
Submission date: 2024-02-01
Final revision date: 2024-03-30
Acceptance date: 2024-05-02
Online publication date: 2024-09-16
Publication date: 2025-01-28
Corresponding author
Rongjia Zhang
Institute of Quantitative and Technological Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100732, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2025;34(3):2609-2626
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ABSTRACT
Achieving “carbon neutrality” through the reduction of carbon emissions from urban industrial land
represents a significant endeavor. The government, which acts as the policy maker, and enterprises,
which function as executors, are the principal stakeholders in low-carbon land utilization. Disparities
between these entities may result in game-theoretic dynamics stemming from differences in resource
allocation and objectives. Drawing from the empirical context of low-carbon industrial land utilization
in China, this study examines the decision-making behaviors of bounded rational actors, formulates
a payoff matrix for the government-enterprise game, and scrutinizes the strategic behaviors of both
entities concerning low-carbon land utilization. The findings indicate that (1) while government
subsidies incentivize enterprises to engage in low-carbon land use, these subsidies should be judiciously
controlled; (2) the government can expedite enterprise low-carbon transformations by stipulating carbon
emission reduction targets for industrial land and implementing rational penalty standards; (3) reduced
production costs and appropriate government subsidies can bolster enterprises’ inclination to adopt lowcarbon
development strategies; and (4) the facilitation of carbon derivative transactions and the provision
of carbon finance can encourage enterprises to embrace low-carbon land use tactics. Additionally,
the study offers policy recommendations for promoting low-carbon land utilization, including urban
industrial land regulation, the adoption of low-carbon technologies, and the establishment of low-carbon
industrial parks and carbon trading markets.