Does new-type urbanization curb haze pollution? A case study from China.

Abstract

The rapid urbanization process has led to a high concentration of population and economic activities in urban space, thus leading to severe environmental pollution. The concept of new-type urbanization has been proposed in China to combat the pollution associated with urbanization. This study analyzes the interaction effect of new-type urbanization with land, industry, and technology on haze pollution, using Chinese provincial-level panel data, and employs a STIRPAT model with interaction terms for empirical testing. The results find that new-type urbanization can significantly reduce the national haze pollution level; meanwhile, the optimization of intensive urban land use level, industrial structure, and technological innovation can interact with it to promote haze reduction, and there is regional heterogeneity. The improvement of intensive urban land use and industrial structure in the central region will significantly enhance the haze reduction effect of new-type urbanization, while the improvement of technological innovation in the west will instead weaken its haze reduction effect, and the interaction in the eastern region is not significant. This research provides a theoretical basis for better implementation of new-type urbanization construction and effective promotion of green and sustainable urban development.