The impacts of globalization on city environments in developing countries: A case study of 21 cities in Guangdong Province, China

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to investigate whether globalization has a negative impact on city environments and how globalization impacts the environments of cities in developing countries. Therefore, it initiates a preliminary inquiry into the causality between environmental change and level of globalization employing a panel vector auto-regression model (VAR). Using calculations of environmental quality and globalization level of 21 cities in Guangdong Province, China, from 1990 to 2015, this study examines the effects of environmental change under globalization among the cities. The results of a long-term analysis show that there is a “U”-shaped relationship between globalization and the environment. As cities begin participating in globalization, they have the capability of transforming the environmental impact from negative to positive. Notably, the effect of globalization on city environments cannot be defined as purely positive or negative in developing countries. Additionally, the composite effects of economic globalization, governments' globalization processes, and international communications lead to environmental changes, especially the first two dimensions. Our analyses contribute to the understanding of the relationship between globalization and city environments and have policy implications for global sustainable urban development in developing countries.