Measuring eco-efficiency and its convergence: empirical analysis from China

Abstract

At present, the contradiction between economic development and resource and environmental sustainability has become increasingly acute in China. Improving the quality of the ecological environment has become an important strategic goal for China’s national economic and social development. In this paper, we used the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 1986 to 2016 to measure the eco-efficiency and its decomposition indexes based on a non-radial metafrontier Malmquist-Luenberger data envelopment analysis model. The results showed that the eco-efficiency grows at an annual rate of 0.7% on the whole, with the technical efficiency decreasing at an annual rate of 0.6%, the innovation effect increasing at an annual rate of 2.3%, and the technical leadership effect decreasing at an annual rate of 1%. In the sample study period, the cumulative growth rates of eco-efficiency change index, technical efficiency change index, innovation effect, and technical leadership effect were 20.4%, − 19.4%, 70.5%, and − 30.7%, respectively. It was also found that regional eco-efficiency decreased from east to west. Furthermore, convergence test results showed that there were four convergence clubs and three divergent individuals in terms of eco-efficiency. Areas with high eco-efficiency tended to converge with areas with high eco-efficiency and vice versa.