IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i2p446-d306835.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Double-Edged Sword of Urbanization and Its Nexus with Eco-Efficiency in China

Author

Listed:
  • Li Yue

    (School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Dan Xue

    (School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Muhammad Umar Draz

    (Department of Management and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar, Perak 32610, Malaysia)

  • Fayyaz Ahmad

    (School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Jiaojiao Li

    (School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Farrukh Shahzad

    (School of Economics and Management, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China)

  • Shahid Ali

    (School of Management, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China)

Abstract

Urbanization has made tremendous contributions to China’s economic development since its economic reforms and opening up. At the same time, population agglomeration has aggravated environmental pollution and posed serious challenges to China’s environment. This article empirically investigates the impacts of China’s urbanization on eco-efficiency, comprehensively reflecting economic growth, resource input, and waste discharge. We first measured the provincial eco-efficiency in China from 2005 to 2015 using the Super Slack-Based model (Super-SBM). We then constructed a spatial model to empirically analyze the effects of urbanization on eco-efficiency at the national level, and at four regional levels. The results indicated that the regional eco-efficiency in China has fluctuated, but is generally improving, and that a gap between regions was evident, with a trend toward further gap expansion. We observed an effect of spatial spillover in eco-efficiency, which was significant and positive for the whole country, except for the western region. The influence of urbanization on China’s eco-efficiency exhibited a U-curve relationship. The changing trend in the eastern, central, and western regions was the same as that in the whole country; however, the trend exhibited an inverted U-curve relationship in the northeastern region. To the best of our knowledge, covering a time period of 2005–2015, this article is the first of its kind to study the impact of urbanization on eco-efficiency in China at both the national and regional levels. This study may help policy-makers to create sustainable policies that could be helpful in balancing urbanization and the ecological environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Li Yue & Dan Xue & Muhammad Umar Draz & Fayyaz Ahmad & Jiaojiao Li & Farrukh Shahzad & Shahid Ali, 2020. "The Double-Edged Sword of Urbanization and Its Nexus with Eco-Efficiency in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:2:p:446-:d:306835
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/2/446/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/2/446/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Candau, Fabien & Dienesch, Elisa, 2017. "Pollution Haven and Corruption Paradise," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 171-192.
    2. Chao Bao & Chuang-lin Fang, 2012. "Water Resources Flows Related to Urbanization in China: Challenges and Perspectives for Water Management and Urban Development," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(2), pages 531-552, January.
    3. Nicole Madariaga & Sandra Poncet, 2007. "FDI in Chinese Cities: Spillovers and Impact on Growth," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 837-862, May.
    4. Zhao, Zhe & Bai, Yuping & Wang, Guofeng & Chen, Jiancheng & Yu, Jiangli & Liu, Wei, 2018. "Land eco-efficiency for new-type urbanization in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 19-26.
    5. Yan Yu & Yan Tong & Wenwu Tang & Yanbin Yuan & Yue Chen, 2018. "Identifying Spatiotemporal Interactions between Urbanization and Eco-Environment in the Urban Agglomeration in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-19, January.
    6. Gene M. Grossman & Alan B. Krueger, 1995. "Economic Growth and the Environment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(2), pages 353-377.
    7. Dongsheng Zhan & Mei-Po Kwan & Wenzhong Zhang & Shaojian Wang & Jianhui Yu, 2017. "Spatiotemporal Variations and Driving Factors of Air Pollution in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-18, December.
    8. Jianhuan Huang & Jiejin Xia, 2016. "Regional Competition, Heterogeneous Factors and Pollution Intensity in China: A Spatial Econometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-26, February.
    9. Li-Yan Wang & Yi Xiao & En-Ming Rao & Ling Jiang & Yang Xiao & Zhi-Yun Ouyang, 2018. "An Assessment of the Impact of Urbanization on Soil Erosion in Inner Mongolia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-13, March.
    10. Chikaraishi, Makoto & Fujiwara, Akimasa & Kaneko, Shinji & Poumanyvong, Phetkeo & Komatsu, Satoru & Kalugin, Andrey, 2015. "The moderating effects of urbanization on carbon dioxide emissions: A latent class modeling approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 90(PA), pages 302-317.
    11. Yulan Lv & Wei Chen & Jianquan Cheng, 2019. "Direct and Indirect Effects of Urbanization on Energy Intensity in Chinese Cities: A Regional Heterogeneity Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-20, June.
    12. Long, X. & Ji, Xi & Ulgiati, S., 2017. "Is urbanization eco-friendly? An energy and land use cross-country analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 387-396.
    13. Timo Kuosmanen & Mika Kortelainen, 2005. "Measuring Eco‐efficiency of Production with Data Envelopment Analysis," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 9(4), pages 59-72, October.
    14. Yoshinori Kobayashi & Hideki Kobayashi & Akinori Hongu & Kiyoshi Sanehira, 2005. "A Practical Method for Quantifying Eco‐efficiency Using Eco‐design Support Tools," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 9(4), pages 131-144, October.
    15. Poumanyvong, Phetkeo & Kaneko, Shinji & Dhakal, Shobhakar, 2012. "Impacts of urbanization on national transport and road energy use: Evidence from low, middle and high income countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 268-277.
    16. Chuanglin Fang & Haimeng Liu & Guangdong Li & Dongqi Sun & Zhuang Miao, 2015. "Estimating the Impact of Urbanization on Air Quality in China Using Spatial Regression Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-23, November.
    17. York, Richard & Rosa, Eugene A. & Dietz, Thomas, 2003. "STIRPAT, IPAT and ImPACT: analytic tools for unpacking the driving forces of environmental impacts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 351-365, October.
    18. Lin, Boqiang & Zhu, Junpeng, 2019. "Impact of energy saving and emission reduction policy on urban sustainable development: Empirical evidence from China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 12-22.
    19. Lung‐fei Lee & Jihai Yu, 2012. "Spatial Panels: Random Components Versus Fixed Effects," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 53(4), pages 1369-1412, November.
    20. Benhong Peng & Yu Tu & Guo Wei, 2018. "Can Environmental Regulations Promote Corporate Environmental Responsibility? Evidence from the Moderated Mediating Effect Model and an Empirical Study in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-16, February.
    21. Korhonen, Pekka J. & Luptacik, Mikulas, 2004. "Eco-efficiency analysis of power plants: An extension of data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(2), pages 437-446, April.
    22. Zhang, Bing & Bi, Jun & Fan, Ziying & Yuan, Zengwei & Ge, Junjie, 2008. "Eco-efficiency analysis of industrial system in China: A data envelopment analysis approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1-2), pages 306-316, December.
    23. Barrell, Ray & Pain, Nigel, 1999. "Domestic institutions, agglomerations and foreign direct investment in Europe," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(4-6), pages 925-934, April.
    24. Tone, Kaoru, 2002. "A slacks-based measure of super-efficiency in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 143(1), pages 32-41, November.
    25. van der Kamp, Denise & Lorentzen, Peter & Mattingly, Daniel, 2017. "Racing to the Bottom or to the Top? Decentralization, Revenue Pressures, and Governance Reform in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 164-176.
    26. Tone, Kaoru, 2001. "A slacks-based measure of efficiency in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(3), pages 498-509, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shujuan Li & Lingli Zhu & Lidan Zhang & Guoyan Zhang & Hongyan Ren & Liang Lu, 2023. "Urbanization-Related Environmental Factors and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome: A Review Based on Studies Taken in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Hang Yan & Zhijiang Liu, 2023. "A New Perspective on the Evaluation of Urbanization Sustainability: Urban Health Examination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.
    3. Chun Li & Xingwu Duan, 2020. "Exploration of Urban Interaction Features Based on the Cyber Information Flow of Migrant Concern: A Case Study of China’s Main Urban Agglomerations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-20, June.
    4. Shan Miao & Yandi Tuo & Xi Zhang & Xiang Hou, 2023. "Green Fiscal Policy and ESG Performance: Evidence from the Energy-Saving and Emission-Reduction Policy in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-19, April.
    5. Weizhen Ren & Zilong Zhang & Yueju Wang & Bing Xue & Xingpeng Chen, 2020. "Measuring Regional Eco-Efficiency in China (2003–2016): A “Full World” Perspective and Network Data Envelopment Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-15, May.
    6. Bing Xia & Suocheng Dong & Yu Li & Zehong Li & Dongqi Sun & Wenbiao Zhang & Wenlong Li, 2021. "Evolution Characters and Influencing Factors of Regional Eco-Efficiency in a Developing Country: Evidence from Mongolia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-20, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yongyi Cheng & Tianyuan Shao & Huilin Lai & Manhong Shen & Yi Li, 2019. "Total-Factor Eco-Efficiency and Its Influencing Factors in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Tianqun Xu & Ping Gao & Qian Yu & Debin Fang, 2017. "An Improved Eco-Efficiency Analysis Framework Based on Slacks-Based Measure Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-21, June.
    3. Yu, Binbin, 2021. "Ecological effects of new-type urbanization in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    4. Yahong Liu & Hailian Sun & Lei Shi & Huimin Wang & Zhai Xiu & Xiao Qiu & Hong Chang & Yu Xie & Yang Wang & Chengjie Wang, 2021. "Spatial-Temporal Changes and Driving Factors of Land-Use Eco-Efficiency Incorporating Ecosystem Services in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Yongyi Cheng & Liheng Lu & Tianyuan Shao & Manhong Shen & Laiqun Jin, 2018. "Decomposition Analysis of Factors Affecting Changes in Industrial Wastewater Emission Intensity in China: Based on a SSBM-GMI Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-23, December.
    6. Yu Zhang & Wenliang Geng & Pengyan Zhang & Erling Li & Tianqi Rong & Ying Liu & Jingwen Shao & Hao Chang, 2020. "Dynamic Changes, Spatiotemporal Differences and Factors Influencing the Urban Eco-Efficiency in the Lower Reaches of the Yellow River," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-19, October.
    7. Shuting Xue & Chao Wang & Shibin Zhang & Chuyao Weng & Yuxi Zhang, 2023. "Eco-Efficiency of the Urban Agglomerations: Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Determinations," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, June.
    8. Trinks, Arjan & Mulder, Machiel & Scholtens, Bert, 2020. "An Efficiency Perspective on Carbon Emissions and Financial Performance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    9. Alfredsson, Eva & Månsson, Jonas & Vikström, Peter, 2016. "Internalising external environmental effects in efficiency analysis," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 22-31.
    10. Xiangxiang Sun & Lawrence Loh, 2019. "Sustainability Governance in China: An Analysis of Regional Ecological Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, April.
    11. Tifang Ye & Xiuli Xiang & Xiangyu Ge & Keling Yang, 2022. "Research on Green Finance and Green Development Based Eco-Efficiency and Spatial Econometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-29, February.
    12. Yu, Xiaohong & Xu, Haiyan & Lou, Wengao & Xu, Xun & Shi, Victor, 2023. "Examining energy eco-efficiency in China's logistics industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    13. Mercedes Beltrán-Esteve & José Gómez-Limón & Andrés Picazo-Tadeo & Ernest Reig-Martínez, 2014. "A metafrontier directional distance function approach to assessing eco-efficiency," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 69-83, February.
    14. Arabi, Behrouz & Munisamy, Susila & Emrouznejad, Ali & Shadman, Foroogh, 2014. "Power industry restructuring and eco-efficiency changes: A new slacks-based model in Malmquist–Luenberger Index measurement," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 132-145.
    15. Charfeddine, Lanouar, 2017. "The impact of energy consumption and economic development on Ecological Footprint and CO2 emissions: Evidence from a Markov Switching Equilibrium Correction Model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 355-374.
    16. Adler, Nicole & Volta, Nicola, 2016. "Accounting for externalities and disposability: A directional economic environmental distance function," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 250(1), pages 314-327.
    17. Zhou, Anhua & Li, Jun, 2021. "Investigate the impact of market reforms on the improvement of manufacturing energy efficiency under China’s provincial-level data," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    18. Yongxia Ding & Wei Qu & Shuwen Niu & Man Liang & Wenli Qiang & Zhenguo Hong, 2016. "Factors Influencing the Spatial Difference in Household Energy Consumption in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.
    19. Wang, Feng & Wu, Min & Du, Xuyang, 2023. "Does industrial upgrading improve eco-efficiency? Evidence from China's industrial sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    20. Mahdiloo, Mahdi & Saen, Reza Farzipoor & Lee, Ki-Hoon, 2015. "Technical, environmental and eco-efficiency measurement for supplier selection: An extension and application of data envelopment analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 279-289.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:2:p:446-:d:306835. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.