Verification of EKC Relation Between Economic Growth and Agricultural Diffused Pollution: An Analysis Based on Inter-Provincial Panel Data

Abstract

Currently, water environment pollution has become an important factor that affects socio-economic sustainability. From the types of pollution sources, water pollution can be divided into point-source and diffused (non-point-source) pollution. According to a lot of studies, diffused pollution is the primary cause of deteriorating water environment quality, in which agricultural diffused pollution accounts for a considerate proportion. For instance, in the Netherlands, nitrogen and phosphor from farmland account for 60 % and 50 % of the total, respectively. In the U.S., over 60 % surface water environment problems are caused by agricultural activities. Agricultural diffused pollution also contributes to 63.6 % of the eutrophication in rivers and lakes in China. In this context, how to control agricultural diffused pollution is a top priority and difficult tasks. According to relevant studies, economic development is an important factor affecting agricultural diffused pollution. Therefore, to dive into the relation between economic growth and agricultural diffused pollution, and explore how the agricultural diffused pollution will evolve with economic growth will play an important role in addressing agricultural diffused pollution.