Environmental Performance In China Research Articles

Operational and environmental performance in China's thermal power industry: Taking an effectiveness measure as complement to an efficiency measure

The trend toward a more fiercely competitive and strictly environmentally regulated electricity market in several countries, including China has led to efforts by both industry and government to develop advanced performance evaluation models that adapt to new evaluation requirements. Traditional operational and environmental efficiency measures do not fully consider the influence of market competition and environmental regulations and, thus, are not sufficient for the thermal power industry to evaluate its operational performance with respect to specific marketing goals (operational effectiveness) and its environmental performance with respect to specific emissions reduction targets (environmental effectiveness). As a complement to an operational efficiency measure, an operational effectiveness measure not only reflects the capacity of an electricity production system to increase its electricity generation through the improvement of operational efficiency, but it also reflects the system's capability to adjust its electricity generation activities to match electricity demand. In addition, as a complement to an environmental efficiency measure, an environmental effectiveness measure not only reflects the capacity of an electricity production system to decrease its pollutant emissions through the improvement of environmental efficiency, but it also reflects the system's capability to adjust its emissions abatement activities to fulfill environmental regulations. Furthermore, an environmental effectiveness measure helps the government regulator to verify the rationality of its emissions reduction targets assigned to the thermal power industry. Several newly developed effectiveness measurements based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) were utilized in this study to evaluate the operational and environmental performance of the thermal power industry in China during 2006–2013. Both efficiency and effectiveness were evaluated from the three perspectives of operational, environmental, and joint adjustments to each electricity production system. The operational and environmental performance changes over time were also captured through an effectiveness measure based on the global Malmquist productivity index. Our empirical results indicated that the performance of China's thermal power industry experienced significant progress during the study period and that policies regarding the development and regulation of the thermal power industry yielded the expected effects. However, the emissions reduction targets assigned to China's thermal power industry are loose and conservative.

An additive super-efficiency DEA approach to measuring regional environmental performance in China

ABSTRACTIt is one of the issues of current concern for international research engaged in data envelopment analysis (DEA) that how to achieve more accurate results of environmental and energy efficiency evaluation. Past studies about the application of DEA to environmental performance measurement often follow the concept of undesirable factors. In the context, slacks-based measure of super-efficiency, a non-radial super-efficiency model compared to the traditional radial super-efficiency DEA models, offers a remarkable alternative, largely due to their ability to deal with ranking the performance of efficient decision-making units (DMUs). This paper extends super-efficiency approach to the additive super-efficiency DEA approach with undesirable outputs to measuring environmental performance. Unlike the traditional radial super-efficiency DEA suffering from infeasibility, the additive super-efficiency models in the context of undesirable factors are always feasible. A case study of regional environmental performance in China is also presented by applying the proposed the additive super-efficiency DEA approach. The results show that the environmental efficiency scores of inefficient provinces were slightly lowered in China, and identified regions where these provinces have the capacity to develop without damaging overall performance.

Environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for sub-elements of the carbon emissions in China

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for the period between 1977 and 2013 by using the sub-elements of carbon (CO2) emissions in China. To this end, the fully modified ordinary least squares and pairwise Granger causality methodologies have been employed. As a result, it is found that financial development leads to an improvement in environmental performance in China for many kinds of pollution, including the following: liquid fuel pollution, solid fuel pollution, residential buildings and commercial and public services pollution, and electricity and heat production pollution. The findings indicate that an increase in per capita consumption of energy will lead to an increase in eight different sub-elements of the carbon emissions. The highest impact is for per capita CO2 emissions and the lowest impact is for liquid fuel CO2 emissions. The findings also suggest that the EKC hypothesis is valid for CO2 emissions from gaseous fuel consumption, liquid fuel consumption, solid fuel consumption and transportation. However, the EKC hypothesis is not valid for aggregate CO2 emissions, CO2 emissions from residential buildings and commercial and public services, from electricity and heat production and from manufacturing industries and construction.

Measuring environmental performance in China’s industrial sectors with non-radial DEA

This paper proposes a non-radial DEA approach consisting of both a static and a dynamic environmental performance index (EPI) for measuring environmental performance. The static EPI is defined as the ratio of a non-radial efficiency measure for reducing undesirable outputs to that for increasing desirable outputs. The proposed non-radial DEA approach has been applied to model the environmental performance of industrial sectors in different provinces of China from 1998 to 2009. It has been found that the static non-radial EPI has a higher discriminating power than the EPI derived from the non-radial undesirable outputs orientation DEA models. Our empirical results also show that the environmental performance of industrial sectors in China improves by 58% in 1998–2009 that is mainly driven by the technological change.

Stakeholder–firm power difference, stakeholders' CSR orientation, and SMEs' environmental performance in China

Although stakeholder power theory has been at the forefront of environmental studies, extant research has focused on stakeholders' power while firms' countering power has not been systematically examined. Furthermore, different stakeholders may prioritize social goals differently. In this paper, we propose that stakeholder–firm power difference determines firms' environmental performance and stakeholders' CSR orientation (i.e., the degree to which a stakeholder holds firms' engagement in CSR as important) moderates this relationship. Utilizing a sample of 144 Chinese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we found that governments-, competitors-, and the media-firm power difference indeed significantly affect Chinese SMEs' environmental performance. Besides, governments' and the media's CSR orientation moderate the relationship between stakeholder–firm power difference and firms' environmental performance. Research and practical implications are discussed.

Influence of International Openness on Corporate Environmental Performance in China

AbstractThis paper examines how international openness influences China's corporate environmental performance. A unique firm‐level dataset is constructed by combining two databases: the Annual Industrial Survey and the China GreenWatch Program Rating System. The empirical results obtained from a series of ordered probit models indicate that openness has a positive relation to corporate environmental performance in China. However, the two main market‐opening strategies in China, exporting and attracting foreign investment, have different effects on environmental performance. The results reveal that foreign investment plays a substantial and positive role that can support the environmental spillovers in China. However, the effect of exporting is insignificant. The environmental pressure from foreign customers to improve Chinese firms' environmental performance presents a challenge. Our study indicates that China could make environmental quality improvements through increased international openness, as is likely the case for other developing countries.

Regional Environmental Performance and Its Determinants in China

AbstractA growing awareness of environmental quality has placed increased pressure on China to improve environmental protection and regulations in the country. How have the regional economies in the country performed in terms of environmental efficiency? The answer to this question is yet to be explored in the case of China. The objective of this paper is to present a quantitative analysis of environmental performance in China's regional economies and to examine the determinants of regional variation in performance. The findings are used to draw policy implications for environmental protection and are helpful in the discussion of China's future sustainable development.

Made in China: Cancer Villages

High incidences of cancer have been reported for villages almost all over China and become an inescapable reality in polluted rural areas [16]. A new phenomenon has appeared in China: Aizheng Cun, ...

Integrated Analysis of Energy, Economic, and Environmental Performance of Biomethanol from Rice Straw in China

This paper focuses on a biomethanol from the rice straw process involving the thermodynamic, economic, and environmental performance in China. Based on the simulation of methanol synthesis via biomass gasification in interconnected fluidized beds using Aspen Plus software, the method of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) is applied to evaluate the impact of pollutant emissions in the full life cycles of biomethanol. The integrated performance of biomethanol system is analyzed combining with energy utilization, economic cost, and environmental impact. The results show that the methanol yield can reach 0.308 kg/(kg rice straw), i.e., the energy efficiency of rice straw conversion to biomethanol is approximately 42.7%. For a biomethanol plant with an annual production of 50,000 tons, the real cost of biomethanol is evaluated at 2685 RMB/t, in which the economic cost is 2347 RMB/t, and the environmental cost is 337.6 RMB/t. Because of its high investment cost, presently the economic cost of biomethanol is higher than that of coal-based methanol in China. Nevertheless biomethanol will be becoming more competitive with the shortage of fossil fuel in the future. In the whole life cycle, the main pollutant emissions come from the biomethanol production process and biomethanol end-use by automobiles, whereas the net environmental effect is negative during the rice cultivation. Global warming is the most influential factor of the different impact categories. However, 1910 kg of CO2 can be fixed for one ton of methanol by photosynthesis in the growth of rice, thus the effect of global warming is significantly reduced by biomass utilization compared with coal-based methanol. The integrated performance indicates that producing methanol from rice straw is beneficial to both the utilization of agriculture waste and in the improvement of environment.

Urban environmental performance in China: a sustainability divide?

AbstractThis paper explores a sustainability divide in urban environmental protection in China with its 72 Model Cities, 113 key cities, and 43 most polluted cities. It investigates factors that help understand such a divide, the applicability of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), and policies for sustainable urban development. Geographic information systems (GIS) and statistical analyses used data derived from documents, statistical records, publications, on‐site inspections and field research. The key cities were divided into seven groups based on eight environmental indicators. The research found a sustainability gap between eastern and western cities, or between Model Cities and other key cities. Oddly, environmental spending was not found to be an explanation. The paper argues that sustainability studies needs to move beyond the EKC to consider the role of nature. Chinese policy makers should not use the Model Cities to support the ‘grow first and clean up later’ approach. Instead they should promote sustainability in all parts of China. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Environmental performance in China's agricultural sector: a case study in corn production

This article reviews environmental performance in China's corn production. It proposes that the improvement in environmental and technical efficiency of agricultural production is indispensable for the increased demand for green food and the increasing awareness of environmental protection. This article measures the environmental and technical efficiency of China's corn production. According to the result of estimate, the improvement of environmental performance in China's corn production is feasible, but it may encounter some difficulties with respect to the fragment of farming land blocks.

News Briefs: Industrial plant inspections can improve environmental performance in China,

News Briefs: Industrial plant inspections can improve environmental performance in China,

Technology transfer issues and challenges for improved energy efficiency and environmental performance in China

Technology transfer issues and challenges for improved energy efficiency and environmental performance in China

Technology transfer issues and challenges for improved energy efficiency and environmental performance in China

The need to ensure sustainable energy related technology transfer from OECD countries to industrializing nations and nations in transition is considered. Particular reference is made to the issues and challenges associated with China. This is an industrializing nation with a strong need to achieve significant improvements in overall energy efficiency and the associated environmental impact. This together with an overwhelming dependence on coal in all market sectors highlights the challenges that need to be surmounted. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.