Portrait of Haotian Zheng

Environmental Macroeconomist

Haotian Zheng

PhD in Economics, Nankai University (2026)
Young Researcher (part-time), Macroeconomic Research Center, CWM50

I am an environmental macroeconomist studying how economic growth, technological change, and public policy interact under multiple environmental constraints. I received my PhD in Economics from Nankai University in 2026.

My research combines dynamic general equilibrium modelling, mathematical analysis, and numerical simulation with firm- and city-level policy evaluation. I am particularly interested in directed technical change, the non-carbon burdens of clean technologies, circular economy, carbon pricing, and innovation policy.

  • Environmental macroeconomics
  • Directed technical change
  • Endogenous growth
  • Circular economy

Research

Peer-reviewed publications

Working paper

Working paperSecond and corresponding author

Neutral taxation and clean transition: A perspective of directed technical change

Xinwu Liu, Haotian Zheng, and Caiyun Zhang.

A theoretical and firm-level study of how China’s business-tax-to-VAT reform changes incentives for clean and dirty innovation.

Work in progress

Sole-authoredSecondary research project

How AI Flows Through the Supply Chain

A continuous-time multilayer model of how AI-driven productivity and automation reshape production and monopoly profits across supply chains.

Doctoral dissertation

Nankai UniversityCompleted 2026

The Multi-Subsystem Environmental Constraints and Endogenous Economic Growth: A Directed Technical Change Approach

A dynamic general equilibrium framework with clean-technology environmental burdens, nonlinear environmental damage, and regeneration capacity that deteriorates as pressure accumulates.

Education

2021–2026

PhD in Economics

School of Economics, Nankai University

Industrial Economics; entered directly after completing the bachelor’s degree. Supervisor: Professor Maochu Zhong.

2017–2021

Bachelor of Management

Business School, Nankai University

Management Science and Engineering. Ranked 1st among 21 students.

Experience & policy research

2022–Present

Young Researcher (part-time)

Macroeconomic Research Center, China Wealth Management 50 Forum

Macroeconomic research using economic data, academic literature, policy documents, and expert discussions.

Selected policy work

I coauthored nine environmental, energy, and economic policy reports with Professor Maochu Zhong, including six as first author.

  • 2025 Recommendations for Developing the Circular Economy
  • 2024 U.S. Energy Transition Pathways and Their Far-Reaching Implications for China’s Energy-Related Industries: Evidence from Priority R&D Directions in the U.S. Energy System
  • 2023 Recommendations for Accelerating the Development of China’s National Carbon Market
  • 2022 Comparative Analysis of Energy-Mix Characteristics in China and Major Economies

Selected awards

Methods & tools

Theory, numerical analysis, and policy evaluation

Dynamic general equilibrium modelling · dynamic optimisation · numerical simulation · panel econometrics · staggered difference-in-differences · Python · Stata