Research on the Impact of Economic Growth of the Northeastern Old Industrial Base on Environmental Pollution-Taking Liaoning Province as an Example

Abstract

This paper takes the impact of economic growth on environmental pollution in Liaoning Province as the research object. After analyzing the status quo of economic growth and environmental pollution in Liaoning Province, four environmental pollution indicators (industrial wastewater discharge, industrial waste gas emissions, industrial sulfur dioxide emissions, and industrial dust emissions) and an economic growth indicator (per capita GDP) are selected. After an economic model is established to focus on the real impact of Liaoning’s economic growth on environmental pollution, it is found that the impact of Liaoning’s economic growth on environmental pollution does not conform to the traditional Environmental Kuznets Curve. Through analysis, it is concluded that economic growth has affected the four environmental indicators to varying degrees. Among them, industrial wastewater discharge, industrial sulfur dioxide emissions, and industrial dust emissions drop after rising, and industrial dust emissions have been on the rise all the time. Considering the realities and characteristics of Liaoning Province, the author has proposed five countermeasures and suggestions for coordinating the relationship between economic growth and environmental protection in Liaoning Province, which are, optimize the industrial structure to promote economic development in the direction of environmental protection; focus on pollution prevention to take a new road to industrialization of circular economy; tap the full potential of market mechanism to realize the innovation of environmental protection system; actively promote the application of low-carbon energy to increase its proportion in total energy consumption; increase investment in environmental protection to improve investment structure and efficiency of environmental protection.