Industrial Agglomeration Research Articles

Human sperm mitochondrial DNA copy numbers and deletion rates: Comparing persons living in two urban industrial agglomerations differing in sources of air pollution

Persons living in industrial environments are exposed to levels of air pollution that can affect their health and fertility. The Czech capital city, Prague, and the Ostrava industrial agglomeration differ in their major sources of air pollution. In Prague, heavy traffic produces high levels of nitrogen oxides throughout the year. In the Ostrava region, an iron industry and local heating are sources of particulate matter (PM) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), especially in the winter. We evaluated the effects of air pollution on human sperm mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Using real-time PCR, we analysed sperm mtDNA copy number and deletion rate in Prague city policemen in two seasons (spring and autumn) and compared the results with those from Ostrava. In Prague, the sperm mtDNA deletion rate was significantly higher in autumn than in spring, which is the opposite of the results from Ostrava. The sperm mtDNA copy number did not show any seasonal differences in either of the cities; it was correlated negatively with sperm concentration, motility, and viability, and with sperm chromatin integrity (assessed with the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay). The comparison between the two cities showed that the sperm mtDNA deletion rate in spring and the sperm mtDNA copy number in autumn were significantly lower in Prague vs. Ostrava. Our study supports the hypothesis that sperm mtDNA deletion rate is affected by the composition of air pollution. Sperm mtDNA abundance is closely associated with chromatin damage and standard semen characteristics.

Re-Examination of the Relationship between Industrial Agglomeration and Haze Pollution: From the Perspective of the Spatial Moderating Effect of Environmental Regulation

This paper uses panel data from 284 Chinese cities from 2004 to 2020 and employs a dynamic spatial panel Durbin model to re-examine the relationship between industrial agglomeration, environmental regulation, and haze pollution. It further adopts a dynamic spatial moderation effect model to explore the spatial regulatory mechanism of environmental regulation. The results show that both local and neighboring industrial agglomeration have a significant “inverted U-shaped” relationship with local haze pollution, and the scale cumulative optimization effect can only be effectively played after the industrial agglomeration level of the locality and neighboring areas exceeds the inflection point. Local environmental regulation significantly inhibits haze pollution, while neighboring environmental regulation plays a promoting role. The moderating effect of environmental regulation on the relationship between industrial agglomeration and haze pollution shows spatial heterogeneity in the local and neighboring areas. Local environmental regulation has a “U-shaped” non-linear moderating effect while neighboring environmental regulation has a positive linear moderating effect. Therefore, the government should pay attention to the joint effort and coordinated advancement of industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation to further reduce urban haze pollution and enhance urban air quality.

Does building smart cities necessarily enhance urban ICT development? Insights from a quasi-natural experiment based on Chinese pilot policy

PurposeWith the help of a quasi-natural experiment on Chinese policies, this study aims to understand the actual contribution of Smart City (SC) policies to the development of information and communications technology (ICT) in different cities. It also discusses the social and digital differences that such policies may generate, with a particular focus on the potential for exacerbating urban inequalities.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this, the study employs a principal component analysis (PCA) to develop an ICT development indicator system. It then employs a difference-in-differences (DID) model to analyze panel data from 209 Chinese cities over the period from 2007 to 2019, examining the impact of SC policies on ICT development across various urban settings.FindingsOur findings show that SC policies have significantly contributed to the enhancement of ICT development, especially in ICT usage. However, SC policies may inadvertently reinforce developmental disparities among cities. Compared to less developed areas, the benefits of SC policies are more pronounced in economically booming cities. This is likely due to the agglomeration of the ICT industry and the strong allure of developed urban centers for high-caliber talent.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the related literature by explaining the role of SC policies in driving ICT development and by focusing on the often-overlooked impact of SC policies on urban inequality. These findings can provide guidance to policymakers on the need to recognize and address existing urban inequalities.

Heterogeneous Porter Effect or Crowded-Out Effect: Nonlinear Impact of Environmental Regulation on County-Level Green Total Factor Productivity of Pigs in the Yangtze River Basin of China

Green total factor productivity (GTFP) is critical to both the economic and ecological objectives of pig breeding. This research utilizes the SBM-ML model to calculate the GTFP of pig breeding in 381 counties within the Yangtze River Basin from 2014 to 2021. Then the GTFP is further decomposed into technical efficiency (MLEC) and technical progress (MLTC) to conduct in-depth exploration. The regression results reveal that: (1) Environmental regulation (ER) has significant double-threshold effects on GTFP, MLEC, and MLTC. (2) MLTC is the main force of GTFP growth, and stronger ER does not always lead to better GTFP growth. (3) GTFP is boosted by mechanization enhancement and industrial agglomeration limitation. (4) Counties in non-provincial capital cities and those closer to the river exhibit greater ER threshold effects. (5) Both pig price and transportation efficiency play a moderating role. (6) Further analysis demonstrates that ER simultaneously reduces pig production capacity and carbon emissions, as well as improves the water quality. And the reduction of ER, although beneficial for capacity, has a significant negative impact on GTFP. Finally, this study concludes with policy recommendations to boost the new quality productivity in the pig industry.

Green siphon or green spillover: Analyzing the spatial implications of industrial relocation on green development

Industry relocation has a profound impact on the green development of recipient cities and their neighboring areas, driven by various factors such as investment and technological progress. This study investigates the impact of industrial relocation on the green development efficiency (GDE) of recipient cities and its spatial spillover effect using national city-level data and the establishment of national-level Industrial Relocation Demonstration Zones (IRDZ) as a policy shock, employing spatial difference-in-differences models. Both theoretical analysis and empirical tests show that industrial outflow increases the GDE of recipient cities, but reducing the GDE of neighboring cities. This effect decays with spatial distance and only affects non-resource cities. In addition, regional integration and the influence of large cities can significantly mitigate the adverse effects of industrial relocation. Industrial agglomeration, environmental regulation, green innovation, and energy intensity are the main direct and indirect pathways through which industrial relocation affects GDE in recipient and neighboring cities. The findings of this study are significant for promoting industrial relocation, energy conservation, and emission reduction in developing regions, as well as enhancing green cooperation among governments.

The Development of Industrial Agglomeration in Industrial Designation Areas and its Impact on Land Use Change (Case Study: Pringsurat Subdistrict and Kranggan Subdistrict, Temanggung Regency)

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>Industrial agglomeration refers to the clustering of industries in a specific region, where they are in close proximity and have interconnections. This phenomenon not only stimulates the growth of industrial activities, but also influences the development of other economic sectors. As industrialization expands, it gradually extends into rural areas that usually have abundant undeveloped land primarily used for agriculture. Consequently, this trend prompts a transition from agricultural to industrial land use. Pringsurat subdistrict and Kranggan subdistrict are located in Temanggung Regency, Central Java Province. Both of these subdistricts are designated as Industrial Designation Areas (KPI) according to the Temanggung Regency Spatial Plan 2011-2031. The plan has implications for the rapid development of large and medium industries. The purpose of this study is to examine the growth of industrial agglomeration in Pringsurat subdistrict and Kranggan subdistrict and their impact on agricultural land conversion. This research was conducted from 2023 to 2024 and utilizing data from 2021 and 2022. The approach of this research is descriptive quantitative and utilizes spatial analysis with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and descriptive analysis techniques. Based on the results of the analysis, there is an agglomeration of large and medium industries in Pringsurat subdistrict and Kranggan subdistrict. The growth of agglomeration encourages the establishment of new industries and industry linkages. Furthermore, agglomeration growth has led to changes in land use, an increase in the variety of land uses, and an increase in land prices. Results of the analysis also show that there are regulatory changes in the development of industrial agglomeration that will affect to local government decision in the future. </span></p></div></div></div>

Impact of agricultural product brands and agricultural industry agglomeration on agricultural carbon emissions

Agricultural carbon emissions pose a significant challenge in combating climate change and achieving sustainable development objectives. These emissions predominantly stem from the decisions made by stakeholders, and the potential economic and social benefits associated with agricultural product brands determine their capacity to influence stakeholder behavior. This study utilizes panel data from 30 provinces in China spanning from 2008 to 2021 to examine the impact of agricultural product brands on agricultural carbon emission intensity and its underlying mechanisms. The findings indicate that: (1) Agricultural product brands contribute to lowering agricultural carbon emission intensity within a region, while also exerting a negative spillover effect on neighboring areas. (2) Agricultural product brands foster a decline in agricultural carbon emission intensity by bolstering the agricultural industry agglomeration. (3) Agricultural scale operation exhibits a threshold effect between agricultural product brands and agricultural carbon emission intensity, with the mitigation effect becoming increasingly pronounced as the threshold range expands. The research findings can offer valuable insights into leveraging the advantages of agricultural product brands to facilitate the reduction of agricultural carbon emissions.

Decoding China's urban agglomerations policies: A scientific evaluation and exploration of economic benefits

Urban agglomerations planning policies are a critical driver for sustainable urban development. The Chinese central and local governments have implemented a series of policies to guide the development of urban agglomerations. However, the scientific soundness of these policies and their impact on promoting high-quality urban economic development have received limited attention. This study addresses this research gap by examining the scientific rationale of China's urban agglomerations policy formulation through the policy modeling consistency (PMC) index model. Then, it empirically assesses the economic effects of policy implementation using a difference-in-differences (DID) model based on statistical data from 182 cities spanning 2000 to 2021. The results show that: (1)while the overall level of urban agglomerations policies is excellent, there are areas for improvement, such as policy objectives, implementation, and financial support; (2) Urban agglomerations policies contribute to a 1.8% increase in high-quality economic development; (3) Mechanisms underlying policy effect include the scale effect of industrial agglomerations, the radiation effect of infrastructure construction, and the spillover benefits of advanced industrial structure. Moreover, the effects of policy vary across urban agglomerations of different scales, with larger urban agglomerations demonstrating more substantial benefits. The research outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers in formulating scientifically and economically beneficial urban agglomerations policies.

Research on the Impact of International Cooperation of Ports in Hainan Free Trade Port on Regional Economic Development

In the context of global economic integration, international cooperation of ports has become an important driver of regional economic development. This paper studies the current status of international cooperation of ports in the Hainan Free Trade Port, analyzes its mechanisms and benefits for regional economic development, and reveals the critical role of such cooperation in enhancing competitiveness, promoting trade and investment, and driving industrial agglomeration. Based on this, strategies to promote international cooperation of ports in the Hainan Free Trade Port are proposed, aiming to provide theoretical basis and practical guidance for the high-quality development of the regional economy.

Urban sustainable development goals and ecosystem services: Pathways to achieving coordination

It has been widely recognized that progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must be better harmonized with Ecosystem Services (ESs) to tackle global challenges. In China, the National Key Ecological Function Areas (NKEFAs) were set up as one of the ecological fiscal transfer projects. Despite its significant influences on the SDGs-ESs nexus, there is a lack of empirical studies on the effects and mechanisms of policy. In response, this study provides a synthesized framework that incorporates the coupling coordination degree between the Urban Sustainable Development Goals (USDGs) and Ecosystem Services Scores (ESSs), empirically verifies the policy effect using the difference-in-differences model, and then further investigates the mechanisms of government action to coordinate urban SDGs and ESs. The results show that: (1) The coupling coordination degree between USDGs and ESSs varies significantly across different regions but steadily increases over time, with a faster increasing rate of coordination degree growth in NKEEFAs pilot cities compared to non-pilot cities. (2) The policy has demonstrated benefits in coordinating USDGs and ESSs with a coefficient of 0.005. In detail, the policy enhances ESSs but concurrently exerts a negative influence on USDGs, with coefficients are 0.008 and −0.004 respectively, suggesting an uneven distribution of the policy's impacts. (3) The study unveils the 'technological innovation effect' and the 'industrial agglomeration effect' as crucial mediating pathways for policy effect, laying a solid foundation for USDGs and ESSs coordination. In total, the study highlights the critical need to account for regional development disparities and adequate funding in ecological protection policies to ensure fairness and effectiveness from a central decision-making standpoint. It recommends enhancing transparency in fiscal expenditures and fostering regional joint coordination to address local government challenges. These insights from this study can offer valuable guidance for policymakers to refine policy implementation and promote the coordination of regional ESs and SDGs.

Turning a blind eye: How local government fiscal distress affects the entry of energy-intensive enterprises

This study explores the impact of local fiscal distress on energy-intensive entrepreneurial ventures. We theoretically establish a conceptual framework between government fiscal distress and energy-intensive entrepreneurial activity through the lens of environmental regulation. Using the newly available firm registration data, we employ the Poisson regression model and find that the falling fiscal condition of county governments triggered by an exogenous tax reform significantly leads to more entry of energy-intensive enterprises. We uncover that the increased entry of energy-intensive enterprises is primarily driven by relaxing environmental regulation rather than other policy changes. Delving into firm nature, we find that these energy-intensive entrants are usually large firms and privately owned firms. Further evidence suggests that industrial agglomeration, regional marketization levels, and legal environments negatively moderate the impact of fiscal distress on the entry of energy-intensive enterprises. This paper sheds light on the potential environmental consequences of governments' fiscal distress.

Assessing the influence of environmental regulation on carbon sequestration in China: Towards a sustainable future

Carbon sequestration is vital to maintaining carbon neutrality and mitigating climate change's impact on humans and the environment. As the government's role in eco-advocacy is primarily designed to safeguard the environment, this paper discusses the impact of government environmental regulations on carbon sequestration. By analyzing 286 cities from 2000 to 2019 in China, we propose that government environmental regulation can lead to a 0.77% increase in carbon sequestration. Additionally, industrial agglomeration and industrial structure advancement are regarded as viable channels. As a result of the differences in city types, government intervention, and public concern across different cities, the impact is likely to vary as well.

The Impact of Industrial Agglomeration on Urban Economic Development in the Context of Digital Economy

The Impact of Industrial Agglomeration on Urban Economic Development in the Context of Digital Economy

A Ramsey-Type Equilibrium Model with Spatially Dispersed Agents

AbstractWe present a spatial and time-continuous Ramsey-type equilibrium model for households and firms that interact on a spatial domain to model labor mobility in the presence of commuting costs. After discretization in space and time, we obtain a mixed complementarity problem that represents the spatial equilibrium model. We prove existence of equilibria using the theory of finite-dimensional variational inequalities and derive a tailored diagonalization method to solve the resulting large-scale instances. Finally, we present a case study that highlights the influence of commuting costs and show that the model allows to analyze transitory effects of industrial agglomeration that emerge and vanish over time as in the real economy.

Spatial spillover effect of service industry agglomeration on industrial structure upgrading: Evidence from China

The industrial structure upgrading is a significant indicator in the High-quality economic development. Despite the crucial role that the cluster of service sectors play in improving the industrial system, the research on the impact of service industry agglomeration on industrial structure upgrading is scant, especially the spatial correlation between them. This paper aims to discuss this objective. The current study employs the Spatial Durbin Model to examine the association between service industry gathering and the advancement of industrial systems based on the panel data of Chinese provincial units for the years 2000 to 2020. Findings from the empirical analysis disclose that the concentration of service-related activities in the same province plays a notable role in the optimization of the industrial framework. Moreover, service industry agglomeration demonstrates a noteworthy spatial spillover effect. The gathering of the service industry breaks through geographical constraints and facilitates the enhancement of industrial framework in adjacent regions through radiation effect. Subsequently, the enhancement of the industrial framework in neighboring areas further stimulates the local industrial configuration through spill-over impacts. This research provides a theoretical framework for analyzing the spatial correlation between the service industry group and the enhancement of the industrial framework, and presents practical reference for local authorities to foster the transformation of industrial structure.

Industrial agglomeration, environmental regulation, and regional environmental performance: Direct and interactive effects

AbstractThe contradiction between the economy and the environment becomes acute as the increasing ecological constraints. It is thus necessary to improve environmental performance and realize the economic‐ecological double dividend. To achieve that, co‐operative efforts are needed on both production and governance sides, particularly industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation. Based on provincial sections in China spanning 2006 to 2020, we explore the effects of industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation on environmental performance, exploiting a two‐way fixed effects model. We also illustrate the potential channels and interactive effects between industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation. The results indicate an inverted U‐shaped nexus between industrial agglomeration and environmental performance, while environmental regulation favors environmental performance. Green innovation, factor allocation, deepening of division of labor, and industrial structure upgrading are plausible channels. Besides, we discover the interaction between industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation, where environmental regulation reduces the inflection point of industrial agglomeration, and industrial agglomeration improves the effectiveness of environmental regulation. Our work sheds light on the synergy between production and governance sides, which offers insights into green transition for China and other newly industrialized economies.

Land allocation and industrial agglomeration: Evidence from the 2007 reform in China

This paper highlights the crucial role of land allocation mechanisms in fostering industrial agglomeration by examining China's 2007 industrial land market reform. By introducing transparency into the land-selling process, the reform facilitated more buyers to compete for land (as evidenced by increased land sale prices), enabling local governments to allocate land to the most suitable users. Utilizing comprehensive data sets that include information on initial local industrial structure, new industrial establishments, and industrial land transactions, the empirical analysis finds that the reform significantly increased the entry of firms from industries aligned with local specialization, particularly in regions that implemented the reform more strictly. Industries characterized by substantial unrealized agglomeration economies or highly localized spillover effects experienced amplified effects. A well-functioning capital market further enhanced the land market reform's impact. Supporting evidence demonstrates the reform's positive effect on economic growth (as evidenced by changes in nighttime luminosity), potentially through increasing local firms' TFP.

Agglomeration effects of high-tech industries: Is government intervention justified?

Government intervention in industrial development is prevalent across both developed and developing nations. This paper evaluates the efficacy of Chinese government intervention in high-tech industries in fostering economic development. Methodologically, we assess government intervention's effectiveness by examining the heterogeneity of agglomeration effects in high-tech industries across various locations before and after policy interventions. Our study reveals several key findings: (1) Overall, high-tech industry agglomeration yields positive intra-industry and local spillover effects. (2) Agglomeration effects exhibit significant spatial and temporal variations. Before 2013, government intervention was limited, and high-tech industries predominantly clustered in the eastern region due to market forces, resulting in significantly positive agglomeration effects. However, post-2013, government intervention became evident, particularly driven by competitive dynamics in less-developed regions and central government support for these areas. Consequently, high-tech industries in these regions generated positive intra-industry and local spillover effects, leading to a shift in the distribution of high-tech industry hubs towards the central and western regions. Nonetheless, agglomeration effects diminished in these regions, signaling distortions. (3) Not all high-tech industries exert positive impacts; for instance, the ICT manufacturing sector, characterized by general technology, demonstrates the most pronounced effects, whereas the aerospace manufacturing industry shows relatively weaker agglomeration effects. (4) High-tech industries primarily enhance industrial profitability by refining intermediate inputs and foster local total factor productivity and green total factor productivity through knowledge spillovers. Consequently, policy interventions should aim to effectively facilitate intermediary mechanisms. These findings offer valuable insights into how governments can judiciously intervene in high-tech industries to promote sustainable economic development.

Digital economy solutions towards carbon neutrality: The critical role of energy efficiency and energy structure transformation

Reducing carbon emissions is a crucial way to achieve sustainable development. Whether the digital economy helps or makes it harder to cut emissions is a matter of debate. This paper proposes a new digital economy index based on the entropy weight method. The two-way fixed effect panel model is used to analyze the data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2021. The results suggest that (1) The digital economy can significantly reduce carbon emissions. (2) Improving energy efficiency and promoting energy structure transformation are two essential mechanisms for carbon reduction in the digital economy. (3) There is heterogeneity in the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions. The digital economy significantly reduces carbon emissions from coal but does not significantly impact carbon emissions from other sources. Moreover, the emission reduction effect of the digital economy is related to regional energy endowment, intelligent manufacturing level, and industrial agglomeration level. This paper provides new empirical evidence for clarifying the relationship between the digital economy and carbon emissions and provides policy implications for promoting the realization of carbon neutrality goals.

The 50-year spatial transition of suburban industrial parks and impacts on sustainable urbanization in the Tokyo metropolitan area

Suburban Industrial Parks (SIP) promote orderly industrial land agglomeration, contributing to sustainable land use transition. Previous studies mostly focused on socio-economic effectiveness and environmental strategies, while the multiscale spatial transition of SIPs and their roles in sustainable urbanization were not thoroughly examined. This study analyzes the temporal pattern of spatial features (TPSF) of SIPs in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area (TMA) using an original suburban industrial community (SIC) model that integrates SIP with its neighborhood. We investigated 110 SIPs established since 1959 across three investigation periods. The results reveal: 1) SIPs influence industrial land use in their neighborhood areas, mostly ranging from 500 to 2500 m. 2) SIPs’ effects on industrial land agglomerations vary over time, demonstrating three development phases: the first phase exhibits the strongest intensity of agglomeration; the second phase falls to the weak; and the third phase recovers a strong agglomeration. 3) Multiscale industrial agglomeration patterns show that 56 % of SIPs in the TMA contribute to orderly spatial transitions; 4) Main road networks facilitate industrial agglomeration. This study proposes the importance of adaptive land use management strategies for SIPs by development phases, and the SIC model could be an applicable tool for land use planning in metropolitan suburbs.