Land eco-efficiency for new-type urbanization in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

Abstract

The intensification of urbanization has had a significant impact on land-use change, ecosystem services, and the urban environment in China. In this paper, we measured land eco-efficiency from an economic and ecological perspective using a Super Efficiency DEA model and Malmquist Index. Our study included 13 prefecture-level cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and covered the period from 2005 to 2013. We then built an indicator system to evaluate new-type urbanization and quantify the impacts of new-type urbanization on land eco-efficiency based on an extended Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology (STIRPAT) Model. Our results reveal an average annual growth rate of 14.3% for land eco-efficiency. There were distinct differences among cities that are closely related in terms of their development stage of new-type urbanization. The relationship between land eco-efficiency and new-type urbanization produced an N-shaped curve. This suggests that, when the development of new-type urbanization is taken into consideration, the land eco-efficiency trend followed a pattern of up-down-up. Enhancing technology, as well as modifying policies for environment management, will also help improve intensive land use and land eco-efficiency. Our paper provides a significant contribution to strengthening land-use management and advancing sustainable urban development in China.