IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i9p3971-d1644704.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Measurement, Regional Differences and Convergence Characteristics of Comprehensive Green Transformation of China’s Economy and Society

Author

Listed:
  • Yongjie Wu

    (College of Economics and Management, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China)

  • Jingwen Wang

    (College of Economics and Management, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China)

  • Mengxuan Jia

    (College of Economics and Management, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China)

Abstract

Promoting the comprehensive green transformation (CGT) of China’s economy and society is vital for achieving high-quality economic growth and building a beautiful China. This study establishes a CGT evaluation index system across four dimensions: comprehensiveness, synergy, innovation, and security. Using the entropy weighting method, it evaluates the CGT development level across 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2022. Subsequently, it examines regional differences and convergence features in CGT development through the application of the Theil index, kernel density estimation (replaced by KDE below), and convergence analysis methods. The findings indicate the following: Firstly, the CGT development level nationwide and within the four key regions has been on the rise annually; yet, regional variations persist. Secondly, both the overall disparities in CGT development across China’s economy and society and the discrepancies within the four key regions are diminishing. Furthermore, interregional variations are the main contributor to the overall disparities in CGT development. Thirdly, while the number of provinces achieving CGT development has gradually increased nationwide, their unevenness has also intensified. Fourthly, regarding convergence characteristics, σ-convergence, along with both absolute and conditional β-convergence are observed in all regions but the central; in the central region, absolute β-convergence is not statistically significant, but conditional β-convergence is. Conclusions from this study can offer theoretical insights for further elevating the CGT level of China’s economy and society and fostering coordinated regional development.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongjie Wu & Jingwen Wang & Mengxuan Jia, 2025. "Measurement, Regional Differences and Convergence Characteristics of Comprehensive Green Transformation of China’s Economy and Society," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:3971-:d:1644704
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/3971/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/3971/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yu, Xuewei & Zhou, Junting & Ni, Kejin & Wang, Xiaobing, 2025. "Environmental centralization and firm green transition: Evidence from County-to-District reclassification in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    2. Tessaleno Devezas & Andrea Tick & Askar Sarygulov & Polina Rukina, 2024. "The Slow Pace of Green Transformation: Underlying Factors and Implications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-26, September.
    3. Bianco, V. & Proskuryakova, L. & Starodubtseva, A., 2021. "Energy inequality in the Eurasian Economic Union," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Zekai He & Caihong Wen & Xinyou Yang, 2024. "Navigating the Green Transition: The Influence of Low-Carbon City Policies on Employment in China’s Listed Firms," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-23, April.
    5. Lu Wan & Xiya Wan & Yanqi Fang & Guohua Huang, 2025. "From digitalization to green transformation: empirical evidence from RCEP’s industrial sectors," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Zhimin Peng & Miao Li, 2025. "Carbon Emissions Intensity of the Transportation Sector in China: Spatiotemporal Differentiation, Trends Forecasting and Convergence Characteristics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-30, January.
    7. Jianshi Wang & Shangkun Yu & Mengcheng Li & Yu Cheng & Chengxin Wang, 2022. "Study of the Impact of Industrial Restructuring on the Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Carbon Emission Intensity in Chinese Provinces—Analysis of Mediating Effects Based on Technological Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-18, October.
    8. Chan, Ying Tung & Punzi, Maria Teresa & Zhao, Hong, 2024. "Green transition and financial stability: The role of green monetary and macroprudential policies and vouchers," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    9. Tong, Hefeng & Wang, Yan & Xu, Jiajun, 2020. "Green transformation in China: Structures of endowment, investment, and employment," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 173-185.
    10. Jia-Pei Yue & Fu-Qin Zhang, 2022. "Evaluation of Industrial Green Transformation in the Process of Urbanization: Regional Difference Analysis in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, April.
    11. J. Paul Elhorst, 2014. "Matlab Software for Spatial Panels," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 37(3), pages 389-405, July.
    12. Lei Zhang & Lili Xu & Mingzi Gao & Mingdong Zhou, 2024. "Can Agricultural Credit Promote the Green Transformation of China’s Agriculture?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Zhengang Zhang & Peilun Li & Liangxiong Huang & Yichen Kang, 2024. "The impact of artificial intelligence on green transformation of manufacturing enterprises: evidence from China," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1-36, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Zaijun Li & Wenjing Zhang & Suleman Sarwar & Meijuan Hu, 2023. "The spatio‐temporal interactive effects between ecological urbanization and industrial ecologization in the Yangtze River Delta region," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(5), pages 3254-3271, October.
    2. Yuxin Meng & Lu Liu & Qiying Ran, 2022. "Can Urban Green Transformation Reduce the Urban–Rural Income Gap? Empirical Evidence Based on Spatial Durbin Model and Mediation Effect Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-24, December.
    3. Razzaq, Asif & Sharif, Arshian & Yang, Xiaodong & Dogan, Eyup, 2024. "Influence mechanism of electricity price distortion on industrial green transformation: A spatial analysis of Chinese regions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    4. Zhao, Mingxuan & Lv, Lianhong & Wu, Jing & Wang, Shen & Zhang, Nan & Bai, Zihan & Luo, Hong, 2022. "Total factor productivity of high coal-consuming industries and provincial coal consumption: Based on the dynamic spatial Durbin model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    5. Zhenhua Chen & Kingsley Haynes, 2015. "Multilevel assessment of public transportation infrastructure: a spatial econometric computable general equilibrium approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(3), pages 663-685, May.
    6. Yang Haodong & Liu Jialin & Wang Gaofeng, 2025. "Knowledge Innovation Effect of University Computing Power in China: Evidence from the top500 Supercomputers," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 66(1), pages 1-30, February.
    7. Lei Ding & Xuejuan Fang, 2022. "Spatial–temporal distribution of air-pollution-intensive industries and its social-economic driving mechanism in Zhejiang Province, China: a framework of spatial econometric analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 1681-1712, February.
    8. Ran, Qiying & Yang, Xiaodong & Yan, Hongchuan & Xu, Yang & Cao, Jianhong, 2023. "Natural resource consumption and industrial green transformation: Does the digital economy matter?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    9. Shunbin Zhong & Huafu Shen & Ziheng Niu & Yang Yu & Lin Pan & Yaojun Fan & Atif Jahanger, 2022. "Moving towards Environmental Sustainability: Can Digital Economy Reduce Environmental Degradation in China?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-23, November.
    10. Román Mínguez & Roberto Basile & María Durbán, 2024. "Pspatreg: R Package for Semiparametric Spatial Autoregressive Models," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-27, November.
    11. Álvarez, Inmaculada C. & Barbero, Javier & Zofío, José L., 2016. "A spatial autoregressive panel model to analyze road network spillovers on production," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 83-92.
    12. Mamkhezri, Jamal & Khezri, Mohsen, 2024. "Vehicle miles traveled induced demand, rebound effect, and price and income elasticities: A US spatial econometric analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 224-240.
    13. Julian Di Giovanni & Galina Hale, 2022. "Stock Market Spillovers via the Global Production Network: Transmission of U.S. Monetary Policy," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 77(6), pages 3373-3421, December.
    14. Liying Cui & Min Peng & Hengshuo Zhang & Liwei Cui, 2025. "Analysis of the Dynamic System Driving High-Quality Transformation of Resource-Based Regions Through Smart Eco-Innovation: Evidence from Daqing City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-22, April.
    15. Jianzhong Xu & Bingjun Tong & Manman Wang & Shi Yin, 2024. "Does environmental pollution governance contribute to carbon emission reduction under heterogeneous green technological innovation? Empirical evidence from China’s provincial panel data," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(12), pages 31727-31756, December.
    16. Zhenhua Chen & Kingsley E. Haynes, 2015. "Regional Impact of Public Transportation Infrastructure," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 29(3), pages 275-291, August.
    17. Rui Ding & Fangcheng Sun, 2023. "Impact of River Chief System on Green Technology Innovation: Empirical Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-22, April.
    18. Timo Mitze & Torben Schmidt, 2015. "Internal migration, regional labor markets and the role of agglomeration economies," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 55(1), pages 61-101, October.
    19. Faizeh Hatami & Jean-Claude Thill, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Evaluation of the Built Environment’s Impact on Commuting Duration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, June.
    20. Zou, Jin & Yan, Jingzhou & Deng, Guoying, 2023. "ESG rating confusion and bond spreads," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

    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:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:3971-:d:1644704. 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.