Abstract
Eco-province construction (EPC) innovated by China is an important approach for regional sustainable development. The core of this paper relates to how to quantitatively evaluate EPC performance and explore its influencing factors. We propose regional total-factor eco-efficiency as a proxy of EPC performance and apply the methods of the SBM directional distance function, the Theil index, hot-spot analysis, and the Tobit model to investigate spatial-temporal evolutionary characteristics and influencing factors of Shandong’s EPC performance from 2003 to 2017. The results showed that: (1) The EPC performance of Shandong presented a fluctuating rising trend as a whole and was unbalanced among regions with gradient-descending characteristics from the eastern, central to western regions. (2) The gravity center of Shandong’s EPC performance shifted northwards, eastwards, southwards, and westwards successively; the spatial pattern of regional EPC performance evolved from characteristics of high- and low-dispersion distribution in the initial stage to a significant H-shaped spatial conglomeration with hot spots distributed in Binzhou and Yantai and cold spots in the southern region. (3) A U-shaped environmental Kuznets curve existed between economic development level and Shandong’s EPC performance. Shandong’s EPC performance was positively related to R&D intensity while negatively related to urbanization. The impact of industrial structure, openness, and environmental regulation on Shandong’s EPC performance presented spatial heterogeneity. Shandong should establish a cross-regional collaborative governance mechanism of ecological construction and implement an ecological-innovation-driven development strategy to promote EPC performance.
Highlights
China has experienced rapid economic growth over the past 40 years since China’s reform and opening up policy in 1978
According to the SBM directional distance function model [40] and the eco-efficiency definition [25], we construct a three-dimensional global SBM directional distance function specified as economic development, ecological-resource conservation and environmental-pollution reduction to measure regional Eco-province construction (EPC) performance, as shown in Formula (1)
As the key measurement of progress towards regional sustainable development, regional eco-efficiency is an appropriate proxy of EPC performance
Summary
China has experienced rapid economic growth over the past 40 years since China’s reform and opening up policy in 1978. Such achievement relies heavily on large amounts of natural resources and environmental consumption. The traditional extensive development mode has posed a profound challenge to China’s regional sustainable development. How to transform regional economic growth from traditional development mode with high consumption and low efficiency to sustainable development with low consumption and high efficiency has always been the important issue for policymakers both in provincial and national governments of China. Report [1], eco-city construction has become a popular measure for countries and regions to put the abstract concept of sustainable development into operational practice. The eco-city was first proposed in the “Man and Biosphere” program launched by the United
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call