Abstract
Abstract The paper uses the super-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to measure the water resources utilization efficiency of 30 provinces in China, and then uses the system generalized method of moments (GMM) model to analyze the impact of environmental regulations on China's regional water resources utilization efficiency. Conclusions as follows. (1) The overall water utilization efficiency is low, and the regions are very unbalanced. The more efficient areas are concentrated in the east, and the less efficient areas are in the west. (2) There is a ‘U’-shaped relationship between the intensity of environmental regulation and water resource utilization efficiency, that is, weaker environmental regulation intensity is not conducive to the improvement of water resource utilization efficiency, but when the intensity of environmental regulation crosses the ‘inflection point’, it can promote the improvement of water resources utilization efficiency. (3) The level of economic development has a very significant positive effect on water resources utilization efficiency, and the coefficient of scientific and technological progress is positive, but the impact of scientific and technological input on water resources utilization efficiency is limited and not significant; industrial structure and water resource utilization efficiency shows a negative correlation; water use structure and water resources efficiency show a negative correlation.
Highlights
As the intensity of environmental regulations increases to the ‘inflection point’ level, the ‘reverse mechanism’ of pollution control has gradually formed
The significance test has not passed, the positive coefficient indicates that the positive effect of scientific and technological progress is gradually reflected
As the intensity of environmental regulations increases to the ‘inflection point’ level, the ‘reversing mechanism’ of pollution control has gradually formed
Summary
Water resources are an important element of the natural ecosystem, the foundation of human survival and social production, the country’s strategic economic resources, and an important part of the overall national strength Extensive economic growth and water pollution have led to serious shortages in water resources in many regions, and have become a bottleneck restricting the coordination and sustainable development of the economy, society, and the ecological environment. The constant situation has led to the continuous deterioration of the water environment (Sun et al ; Zhu et al ) This poses a threat to the sustainable use of water resources in China. During the ‘14th Five-Year Plan’ period, the rational use of environmental regulatory tools, efforts to resolve the contradiction between economic development and water resources and the improvement of water resources comprehensive utilization efficiency have become important measures to promote green and coordinated industrial development (Xing et al ; Zhang et al a, b). The main innovations and contributions of this paper are: (1) Uses the input-output ratio and efficiency evaluation index system, and considers the data envelopment analysis (DEA) of undesired output to analyze the water use efficiency of different regions in China; (2) Compares the difference in water use efficiency between China’s overall and different regions, and provides theoretical reference for policy exploration; (3) Focuses on the analysis of the impact of environmental regulations on China’s water use efficiency, and puts forward countermeasures and suggestions based on this, which can be useful for China to achieve The goal of sustainable development has important practical significance
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