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Effects of Environmental Regulation on Green Total Factor Productivity: An Evidence from the Yellow River Basin, China

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  • Jinhuang Mao

    (Institute of County Economic Development & Rural Revitalization Strategy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
    School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Qiong Wu

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

  • Meihong Zhu

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

  • Chengpeng Lu

    (Institute of County Economic Development & Rural Revitalization Strategy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
    School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

Abstract

Based on the data of 59 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2011 to 2019, this paper uses the Slack Based Measure-Global Malmquist Luenberger (SBM-GML) model to measure green total factor productivity (GTFP) of the cities. Under the space–time concept of the Basin, heterogeneity analysis of the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin is conducted. On this basis, a panel Tobit model is constructed to analyze the impact of environmental regulation on GTFP in the whole basin, upstream region, middle region and downstream region. The results show that the intensity of environmental regulation in the Yellow River Basin increases gradually, which is the highest in the lower reaches, followed by the middle reaches; spatially, the intensity of environmental regulation shows a certain aggregation trend. The green economic growth is realized in the whole basin, and the green technology progress effect is the driving factor of GTFP. The GTFP distribution in the upstream region is relatively concentrated, showing a slow upward trend. The distribution of GTFP in the middle reaches is discrete, and the annual difference is large. In the downstream region, it shows a trend of decline first and then increase. Environmental regulation promotes GTFP in the whole basin, upper, middle and lower reaches, accompanied by certain spatial differences. The Yellow River Basin breaks through the cost effect brought by environmental regulation and triggers technological innovation, thereby enhancing GTFP; the “Porter hypothesis” has been verified in the Yellow River Basin.

Suggested Citation

  • Jinhuang Mao & Qiong Wu & Meihong Zhu & Chengpeng Lu, 2022. "Effects of Environmental Regulation on Green Total Factor Productivity: An Evidence from the Yellow River Basin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2015-:d:746285
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    4. Jingcheng Li & Menggang Li, 2022. "Research of Carbon Emission Reduction Potentials in the Yellow River Basin, Based on Cluster Analysis and the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, April.
    5. Jingcheng Li & Menggang Li & Tianyang Wang & Xiuqin Feng, 2023. "Analysis of the Low-Carbon Transition Effect and Development Pattern of Green Credit for Prefecture-Level Cities in the Yellow River Basin," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-22, March.
    6. Yaoyao Wang & Yuanpei Kuang, 2023. "Evaluation, Regional Disparities and Driving Mechanisms of High-Quality Agricultural Development in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, April.
    7. Henryk Dzwigol & Aleksy Kwilinski & Oleksii Lyulyov & Tetyana Pimonenko, 2023. "The Role of Environmental Regulations, Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency in Finding the Path to Green Economic Growth," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-18, March.
    8. Xiaowen Wang & Xuyou Wang, 2025. "Does Local Government Green Attention Promote Green Total Factor Productivity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-21, October.
    9. Shuying Wang & Yifei Gao & Hongchang Zhou, 2022. "Research on Green Total Factor Productivity Enhancement Path from the Configurational Perspective—Based on the TOE Theoretical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, October.
    10. Lei Jiang & Yuan Chen & Bo Zhang, 2023. "Revisiting the Impact of Environmental Regulation on Green Total Factor Productivity in China: Based on a Comprehensive Index of Environmental Regulation from a Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity Perspectiv," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-17, January.
    11. Luxin Yang & Yucheng Liu & Huihui Deng, 2023. "Environmental governance, local government competition and industrial green transformation: Evidence from China's sustainable development practice," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 1054-1068, April.
    12. Xu Dong & Yang Chen & Qinqin Zhuang & Yali Yang & Xiaomeng Zhao, 2022. "Agglomeration of Productive Services, Industrial Structure Upgrading and Green Total Factor Productivity: An Empirical Analysis Based on 68 Prefectural-Level-and-Above Cities in the Yellow River Basin," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-19, September.
    13. Wei Qian & Yongsheng Wang, 2022. "How Do Rising Labor Costs Affect Green Total Factor Productivity? Based on the Industrial Intelligence Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-19, October.
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    15. Sujin Lu & Shipeng Zhou & Xiaoyan Zhang & Xujie Ma & Jiawei Tian & Yanhong Gong & Xiaojing Zheng & Jianhua Si & Biyu Qin, 2024. "Ecological Carrying Capacity and Driving Factors of the Source Region of the Yellow River in China over the Past 30 Years," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-22, November.
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