Positive Spatial Spillover Effect Research Articles

Spatial difference analysis of water and sanitation in China's counties based on a spatial econometric model

Access to safe drinking water and sanitation are preconditions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which is beneficial to promote new urbanization construction accurately. However, the urbanization rate is still less than 25%. Comprehensive governance capacity and carrying capacity are still relatively weak. This study seeks to increase knowledge of spatial differences in water and sanitation in China's counties, which can reveal the living environment and health conditions of residents in different areas. Furthermore, studying the spatial distribution of water and sanitation facilities in different counties can help understand the development differences between urban and rural areas and narrow the gap between urban and rural. Therefore, four indicators of water supply, sewage disposal, garbage disposal, and public toilets as proxy indicators of water and sanitation were selected, and Moran's I was used to test the spatial correlation between county-level sanitation and economic conditions, government fiscal behavior, and social and geographical factors. This study exploited the inverse distance spatial weight matrix to implement the spatial spillover effect of water and sanitation according to the division of the east, middle, and west and four aspects of water supply, sewage disposal, garbage disposal, and public toilets in terms of per capita occupancy. We observed that there was no significant correlation between population density and county-level water, sanitation, and hygiene enhancement. Economic growth can promote the improvement of water and sanitation to a certain extent. The comparison results indicated that the level of urbanization and education had a positive spatial spillover effect on water and sanitation. The water and sanitation of the demonstration county was characterized by siphon, which occupied the water and sanitation development space of neighboring counties. The results of this study are of great significance to improve county-level water and sanitation facilities and narrow the gap between urban and rural.

The spatial spillover effects of clean energy consumption and production on sustainable economic development in China

The massive consumption of fossil energy has resulted in high CO2 emissions, posing a formidable challenge to global sustainable economic development (SED). As countries endeavor to shift from fossil to clean energy sources to achieve SED, research on the impact of clean energy is scarce, and quantitative analysis is lacking. This study measured China's SED and used a spatial econometric model to examine the impact of clean energy consumption and production on SED across 30 provinces in China from 2008 to 2020. Results show that (1) China's SED exhibits significant positive spatial autocorrelation characteristics, forming a “point-to-area” development pattern. (2) Clean energy consumption, production, and consumption structure all contribute to the promotion of SED in the region and have positive spatial spillover effects. (3) A considerable regional disparity exists in the spatial impact of clean energy on SED. The eastern and central regions have significant positive spatial spillover effects, whereas the western region is opposite. Notably, the estimated coefficient of the spatial Durbin model is relatively small, reflecting China's ongoing transition to clean energy and its limited role in promoting economic sustainability. Joint efforts and differentiated policies are essential to develop clean energy and sustainable economic.

Towards green governance and real economy development: how digital technology affects health human resource allocation?

ABSTRACT The adoption and integration of digital technology have profoundly reshaped societal and environmental governance within the healthcare sector. This study aims to explore the influence of digital technology development on the allocation of healthcare human resources, intending to contribute to the net-zero carbon process. Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces and cities across mainland China during the period 2011 to 2020, we computed three unique indices for health resource density. Employing the spatial Durbin model, our analysis unveiled a gradual augmentation in the overall level of healthcare human resource allocation in China due to the spatial impact of digital technology development. Robustness tests substantiated a noteworthy positive spatial spillover effect of digital technology, contributing to the augmentation of healthcare human resource allocation at the regional level. Heterogeneity results revealed a notably more pronounced promotional effect in the eastern region, contrasting with the central and western regions. From the perspective of sustainable development, the development of digital technology can contribute to the advancement of environmentally friendly healthcare by optimizing the allocation of healthcare human resources. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights for China to formulate effective policies for healthcare human resource allocation, contributing to the attainment of sustainable development goals.

Mitigating farmland use carbon emissions: The dynamic role of farmland use transition

China's carbon emissions contribute to approximately one-quarter of the global greenhouse gas emissions, with farmland use carbon emission (FUCE) emerging as a significant contributor. Recognizing the global importance of the farmland use system and the spatial intricacies of FUCE, it becomes imperative to examine the spatial impact of farmland use transition (FUT) on FUCE. This study reveals noteworthy spatial correlation disparities between FUCE and various FUT forms within the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. Employing spatial econometric models, we explore the direct and spillover effects of dominant farmland use transition (DFUT) and recessive farmland use transition (RFUT) on FUCE. Among these transformations, quantitative farmland use transition (QFUT), production function farmland use transition (PFFUT), and living function farmland use transition (LFFUT) exhibit substantial positive direct effects and spatial spillover effects on FUCE. Conversely, spatial structure farmland use transition (SSFUT) and ecological function farmland use transition (EFFUT) demonstrate noteworthy reduction effects on FUCE. In both the short and long run, SSFUT and EFFUT play vital roles in suppressing FUCE, with the long-term effects proving more pronounced than their short-term counterparts. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing farmland use spatial structure and promoting ecologically sound land use practices to mitigate FUCE effectively.

THE SPATIAL SPILLOVER EFFECT OF INNOVATIVE CITY POLICY ON CARBON EFFICIENCY: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA

The strengthening of the deep integration of innovation and green is a necessary measure for sustainable urban development. Based on the improved Global-EBM, this study regards the innovative city policy as a quasi-natural experiment and evaluates its spatial spillover effects and potential impact channels. The results show that (1) The innovative city policy enhances the urban total factor carbon emission efficiency (TFCEE) and has positive spatial spillover effects on surrounding regions. (2) The mechanism test shows that the effective channels for innovative city policies to enhance TFCEE and generate spatial spillover effects come from improving the degree of green technology and resource allocation. (3) The spillover effect of innovation city policy is more significant for developed, coastal and advanced industrial structures. This study strengthens the theoretical foundation for promoting cross-regional green coordinated development and provides valuable suggestions for policymakers.

Spatial-temporal variation of economic resilience and its influencing factors under COVID-19: Evidence from Henan province, China

In order to explore the impact of COVID-19 on regional economy, the resilience characteristics of regional economy and influencing factors, this paper takes Henan province as an example and innovatively employ PSR and SBM model to measure the economic resilience of 18 areas in Henan province under the epidemic. The results show that (1) after the outbreak of COVID-19, the economic resilience of Henan province reduced with a tiny interannual variation, the distribution of resilience shifted from concentration to dispersion.(2) The economic resilience was higher in the central, west and south, and lower in the north and east. (3)Generally speaking, the economic resilience in Henan province did not significantly show certain spatial correlation, but formed an obvious "circle structure". The surrounding areas of Zhengzhou belonged to the "first circle", where the economic resilience was in the low-high cluster area and had a negative relationship. Areas outside the "first circle" gathered in the outer edge and formed the "second circle", where the economic resilience was in the low-low agglomeration area, with significant positive spatial spillover effect. (4) The level of health services had the strongest influence and GDP per capita played a fundamental role in improving economic resilience. This study is helpful for the policymakers to formulate relevant policies to improve economic resilience under public health emergencies in the future.

Analysis of the Spatial Spillover Effect and Impact Transmission Mechanism of China’s Water Network by Constructing a Water Transfer Information Weight Matrix

In China, the water network project plays a pivotal role in optimizing water resources allocation, enhancing regional water resources carrying capacity, and bolstering high-quality economic development. This study is grounded in the spatial interconnection of water resources, serving as the foundation for constructing a spatial measurement model. Leveraging data from 558 panel samples encompassing 31 provinces (including municipalities and districts) in China between 2003 and 2020, this research unveils the inherent correlation between the establishment of the water network and economic as well as social development. The findings indicate the following: (1) Considering inputs, outputs, and nonconsensual outputs, regional disparities in the SBM (slacks-based measure) value of the water network exist, demonstrating an overall increasing trend annually. In 2020, the nationwide average benefit level of input–output in water network construction reached 0.603. (2) Moran’s I test, predicated on the weight matrix of spatial water transfer information, reveals a spatial positive autocorrelation. All tests pass the significance threshold of 5%, affirming the presence of spatial agglomeration due to project construction, operation, and the interconnectedness of water resources. (3) SDM (spatial Durbin model) regression analysis elucidates that per capita GDP, resource endowment, technological innovation level, consumption index, and average wage significantly influence the growth of water network efficiency. Specifically, per capita GDP and the consumption index exert negative influences. Moreover, aspects such as regional resource endowment, technological innovation level, industrial and agricultural water demand, average wage, and other spatial dependencies exhibit a notable positive spatial spillover effect. (4) The SDM model suggests that per capita GDP growth fails to yield a significant spatial spillover effect on neighboring regions. Instead, it highlights a substantial indirect effect and spatial dependence of government attention among regions. These analyses are instrumental in optimizing the water resources allocation network system and enhancing investment efficacy.

Can Agricultural Industry Integration Reduce the Rural–Urban Income Gap? Evidence from County-Level Data in China

The improvement in urban production efficiency has led to income distribution being skewed towards urban labor, thereby widening the urban–rural income gap. However, integration of the agricultural industry at the county level can accelerate the flow of production factors between industries. Therefore, this study evaluates the degree of agricultural industry integration at the county level using the entropy weight method and explores its impact on the urban–rural income gap, based on sample data from 1122 counties in China spanning from 2014 to 2021. The research findings reveal the following: (1) The fixed model demonstrates that enhancing agricultural industry integration can significantly narrow the urban–rural income gap; (2) The mediating model indicates that this narrowing effect can be achieved by improving the green total factor productivity of agriculture; (3) Regional heterogeneity analysis indicates that the impact of agricultural industry integration is more pronounced in the central region and main crop production areas; (4) The results of the spatial Durbin model demonstrate that agricultural industry integration also exhibits a significant positive spatial spillover effect on neighboring areas. The outcomes of this study contribute to enriching the research on agricultural industry integration for green and low-carbon agricultural development, further promoting the development of county-level agricultural industry integration, and providing valuable insights for other similar countries.

Can digital finance development drive green transformation in manufacturing? Evidence from China.

Digital finance is a product of emerging technology-enabled innovation in financial services and has a critical impact on the green transformation of the manufacturing industry. We propose a new efficiency measurement model based on the slacks-based measure (SBM) to measure the efficiency of green transformation on regional manufacturing. Chinese interprovincial data from 2010 to 2019 were obtained for the study. In addition, we estimated the effect of digital finance on green transformation of manufacturing using a benchmark panel model. Finally, considering the regional heterogeneity and spatial effects of green transformation efficiency in the manufacturing industry, we constructed a spatial Durbin model based on an economic-geographic nested spatial weight matrix to analyze the spatial influence of digital finance on green transformation in the manufacturing industry. The results show that the green transformation of the manufacturing industry has significant positive spatial spillover effects owing to the existence of competition, demonstration, and economic correlation effects among regions.

Appraising the role of energy conservation and emission reduction policy for eco-friendly productivity improvements: An entropy-balancing DID approach

In pursuit of low-carbon and high-quality economic development, the Chinese government has implemented an energy conservation and emission reduction (ECER) policy. It has piloted this policy for three groups of prefecture-level cities since 2011. So far, there is no systematic evidence to demonstrate whether such a strategy can help China achieve a “win-win” situation between energy conservation and environmental protection. To identify the causal effect of the ECER policy on eco-friendly productivity (EFP), we explore variations in the timing of this policy across cities combined with the entropy-balancing method and assemble a balanced panel dataset encompassing China's 283 cities from 2006 to 2017. Empirical findings demonstrate that EFP in the ECER pilot cities had increased by 15.3% on average compared with EFP in non-ECER pilot regions based on the difference-in-differences framework. Notably, the ECER policy generates significant positive spatial spillover effects on surrounding ECER pilot regions. Our channel analysis confirms that the positive effect of the ECER policy is also realized through energy savings, structural effects, and green technological effects. Moreover, the observed effect is significantly heterogeneous regarding geographical locations, resource endowment, whether a city has an old industrial base, and environmental regulation. Finally, several policy implications concerning China's ECER policy and EFP improvement are put forward.

Can the digitalization level of agriculture improve its ecological efficiency under carbon constraints: Evidence from China

The interplay between digitalization and economic development constitutes a pivotal global issue, yet empirical research on agricultural ecological efficiency in developing countries remains limited. This study initially establishes a measurement system and a comprehensive index for the level of agricultural digitalization. Subsequently, it delineates the relationship between agricultural digitalization level and agroecological efficiency using the spatial Durbin model, and ultimately explores the enhancing effect of agricultural digitalization level on agroecological efficiency using China as a case study. Research reveals that the agricultural ecological efficiency across the 31 mainland Chinese provinces demonstrates a generally linear upward trajectory, embodying both agglomeration and heterogeneity. The level of agricultural digitization exerts a significant, positive direct impact and facilitates a spatial spillover effect on agricultural ecological efficiency. Other control variables, such as financial support for agriculture and local economic development, impart a positive direct impact on regional agricultural ecological efficiency, while rural household operating income propels a positive spatial spillover effect on adjacent areas. The findings furnish guidance for developing countries to adeptly execute digital rural construction, aiming to enhance agricultural ecological efficiency amidst carbon constraints.

Assessing the effect of urban digital infrastructure on green innovation: mechanism identification and spatial-temporal characteristics

Under the background of digitization and greening in China, digital infrastructure offers new opportunities for developing green innovation. This paper investigates the effect of digital infrastructure on urban green innovation using panel data from 285 Chinese prefecture-level cities between 2011 and 2020, and explains the mechanism and its spatial-temporal dynamic effect. The results demonstrate that digital infrastructure promotes urban green innovation. Talent agglomeration, R&D investment increase, and industrial structure upgrading are crucial channels. Furthermore, depending on a city’s size, human capital, environmental regulations, and financial subsidies, digital infrastructure contributes to urban green innovation differently. Also, there is not only a positive spatial spillover effect of digital infrastructure but a threshold effect that presents a nonlinear trend of rising marginal effect. This study provides a new perspective for promoting digital infrastructure and urban green innovation, which makes a difference in facilitating its high-level development collaboratively.

Research on the spatial spillover effect of high-speed railway on the income of urban residents in China

The transportation infrastructure is a crucial component of social capital, as it aids in fostering national economic growth. The speed of resource elements’ spatial movement is increased by high-speed railways (HSR), thereby affecting the intensity and direction of regional economic connections. This study investigates how HSR impacts urban regional accessibility and the spatial spillover of urban residents’ income from a spatial viewpoint. The study found that: First, between 2000 and 2018, the introduction and functioning of HSR, along with the increased speed of regular railway services, led to an overall enhancement in urban regional accessibility and urban positioning. Second, there exists a notable spatial correlation between regional accessibility and labor market income. Cities with either high or low labor market income exhibit spatial clustering in the same direction at the spatial level. Enhancing regional accessibility typically leads to an increase in labor market income throughout the entire region. Third, the nearby cities with greater regional accessibility exert a siphon effect on the local area. Fourth, the labor market income is interdependent and promoted among cities. The labor market income of a city is positively influenced by the nearby cities and neighboring cities with comparable income levels. Fifth, between 2012 and 2018, the construction of HSR and the structural transformation of the labor market led to a notable increase in income through a positive spatial spillover effect.

Coupling coordination and interactive effects of new urbanization efficiency and eco-efficiency-A case study of Fujian Province.

This study explores the coupling and coordinated development of new urbanization and eco-efficiency and their interaction mechanisms from the perspective of efficiency, and it has significant implications for promoting high-quality development and surpassing in China's regional development. The study aims to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of new urbanization efficiency and eco-efficiency and its coupling and coordinated development relationship. Using panel data from 2010 to 2020 for nine cities in Fujian Province, this study employs the undesired super-efficiency SBM model to measure the efficiency of new urbanization and eco-efficiency. Additionally, a spatial panel Durbin model is constructed to analyze the interaction effect between the two efficiencies. During the study period, both new urbanization efficiency and eco-efficiency in Fujian Province showed a fluctuating upward trend, with higher efficiency in the southeast than the northwest, exhibiting significant spatial agglomeration effects. Despite high double efficiency coupling, coordinated development was low, evolving from near-disorder to barely coordinated. The high coupling and coordination areas were mainly concentrated in the southeast, with gaps between different regions gradually narrowing. There was positive interaction between dual efficiency in the same region, with new urbanization efficiency showing a positive spatial spillover effect on eco-efficiency. Conversely, the spatial spillover effect of eco-efficiency on new urbanization efficiency was not significant.

Does new energy demonstration city policy curb air pollution? Evidence from Chinese cities

China has embarked on realizing a green-oriented energy structure transition with a series of policy tools. In 2014, the National Energy Administration launched a new energy demonstration city (NEDC) policy, but its effect on air pollution mitigation has not been fully examined. By employing the Difference-in-difference strategy, this study examines the effect of the NEDC policy on air pollution mitigation with Chinese prefecture-level city data. The results reveal that the NEDC policy can significantly lead to a 0.13-unit drop in SO2 emissions. The NEDC policy curbs pollution by stimulating green investments, promoting green technology innovation, advancing resource allocation efficiency, and reducing energy consumption. The effect of the NEDC policy appears to be heterogeneous under different conditions. Furthermore, this phenomenon is more conspicuous in prefectures led by older officials, where the age incentives nearing the promotion golden age threshold amplify the effects of air pollution mitigation, while those nearing retirement years exacerbate such effects. Notably, the interaction effect between environmental regulations and the NEDC policy on air pollution mitigation is elucidated. Moreover, positive spatial spillover effects extending to neighboring regions are identified, underscoring the imperative of regional collaboration and technological diffusion. Based on the findings above, several policy implications are proposed.

Research on the Impact of Heterogeneous Environmental Regulation on the Coordinated Development of China’s Water–Energy–Food System from a Spatial Perspective

Water resources, energy, and food are fundamental resources for ensuring human social development. The coordinated development of these resources contributes to improving the quality of the social environment, promoting harmony between humans and nature, and achieving economic, social, and ecological sustainability. This study utilizes panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2003 to 2020. Using a coupled coordination degree model, the coupling coordination degree of the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) system is calculated, and the spatiotemporal evolution and social network connections of WEF coupling coordination are analyzed. The spatial Durbin model is employed to investigate the spatial spillover effects of heterogeneous environmental regulation on the coordinated development of the WEF system. The mechanism model is used to explore the pathways through which heterogeneous environmental regulation influences the coordinated development of the WEF system. The results of this study demonstrate that the coupling coordination index of China’s provincial-level WEF system has shown a steady upward trend, except for a slight decline in a few years. Over the research period, there has been a significant improvement in regional coupling coordination levels. There are large differences in the level of WEF coupling coordination among different regions, with a distribution pattern of south > north and east > west. Both formal and informal environmental regulations have significant positive effects on the coupling coordination development of the WEF system, as well as significant positive spatial spillover effects. Formal environmental regulation has a stronger impact compared to informal environmental regulation. Foreign direct investment and industrial structural upgrading are important pathways for environmental regulation to promote the coordinated development of the WEF system. Both formal and informal environmental regulations can promote the coordinated development of the WEF system by facilitating foreign direct investment and industrial structural upgrading. This study not only provides important scientific evidence and decision-making references for policymakers in formulating environmental regulation policies but also offers new evidence support for the theory of regional development disparities.

Does trade still follow the “flag”? Evidence from the partnership and bilateral trade in China

Partnership is a typical “Flag” of China’s foreign relations, playing a significant role in promoting bilateral trade. This study examines the impact and mechanism of China’s partnerships on trade with empirical evidence, revealing that establishing a partnership increases bilateral trade by 25%; each level-up of the partnership will lead to a 6.8% increase in bilateral trade, with a dynamic impact lasting about five years. Partnership building mainly impacts bilateral trade through political interaction, bilateral investment, and cultural exchange between two countries, with cultural exchange playing a dominant role in the mechanism. Strengthening partnerships with Asia-Pacific, Latin America, African countries, low-income, and low trade size countries can create more potent bilateral trade effects. Furthermore, higher levels of partnership have an exemplary effect, bringing a positive spatial spillover effect on trade. This study affirms the significant role of partnership in foreign relations and trade, providing valuable insights to reduce trade risk and achieve high-quality development.

Can industrial co-agglomeration improve carbon emission efficiency? Empirical evidence based on the eastern coastal areas of China.

The goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality" is the key to coping with global warming and achieving high-quality development. Producer services and manufacturing co-agglomeration (Coagglo) is an important path to achieve low-carbon development. Therefore, the relationship between industrial co-agglomeration and carbon emission efficiency (CEE) needs to be discussed. Based on the panel data of 114 cities along the eastern coast of China from 2006 to 2021, this study uses a panel quantile regression model and dynamic spatial Durbin model to evaluate the impact and spatial effect of Coagglo on CEE. The results show that there is a nonlinear relationship between Coagglo and CEE. When it exceeds the 50th quantile, the degree of influence decreases slightly, but it still shows a significant positive correlation. When considering industry heterogeneity, we find that the co-agglomeration of warehousing and postal industry (TRA) and manufacturing has the most significant impact on CEE, while the co-agglomeration of leasing and commercial service industry (LEA) and manufacturing has the least impact on CEE. Regional heterogeneity shows that the Coagglo has a greater impact on carbon emission efficiency in the northern region than in the southern region. In addition, Coagglo promotes the spillover of knowledge and technology and has a positive spatial spillover effect on CEE. This conclusion provides a theoretical reference for carbon emission reduction in eastern coastal areas of China.

Can the digital economy boost rural residents’ income? Evidence from China based on the spatial Durbin model

The digital economy, as a new economic form, has the potential to be a considerable driving force for promoting agricultural modernisation, accelerating the flow of information between urban and rural areas and increasing the income of rural residents, thereby contributing to rural revitalisation. However, it may also inevitably lead to issues such as widening the digital divide between urban and rural areas, which can impact the extent to which rural residents effectively benefit from the digital economy. This study employs provincial panel data from 2011 to 2020 and conducts a temporal global principal component analysis to measure the level of China's digital economy development. Based on this, the spatial Durbin model is employed for empirical testing and regional analysis of the impact and mechanisms of digital economy development on the per capita disposable income of rural residents. The partial linear function coefficient model is used for supplementary analysis. The results indicate the following: (1) there are regional disparities in China's digital economy development, with the highest levels in the eastern region, followed by the western region and the lowest levels in the central region, forming a U-shaped spatial structure; (2) the development of the digital economy has a suppressing effect on the per capita disposable income of rural residents in both the home province and neighbouring provinces, indicating that the digital economy has not become a growth booster for rural revitalisation; (3) regional results show that the negative spatial effects of the digital economy are in the eastern region, whereas the western region has considerable positive spatial spillover effects. In contrast, no notable spatial effects exist in the central region. Therefore, under the backdrop of the digital economy, it is necessary to promote agricultural transformation and increase rural residents’ income by tailoring strategies to regional characteristics.

The impact of the digital economy on food system resilience: Evidence from China.

Despite the widespread influence of the burgeoning digital economy on agricultural productivity in recent years, China's food system confronts numerous challenges. Notably, research exploring the digital economy's impact on food system resilience remains scarce, and the pivotal role of industrial agglomeration in this context remains unclear. Therefore, this article is based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2021, this paper empirically examines the direct effect, the mechanism of action, and the spatial spillover effect of the resilience of a digital economy-enabled food system using a double fixed-effects model, mediated-effects model, and spatial econometric model. The results show the following: (1) The resilience of China's urban food system shows obvious spatial differences, but the overall trend in improvement requires attention. (2) The development of a digital economy has a facilitating effect on the level of resilience of the food system, and industrial agglomeration induces an intermediary effect. (3) The digital economy has a significant positive spatial spillover effect on the resilience of the food system; i.e., the digital economy can improve the resilience of the food system in the region and the neighboring regions. Accordingly, policy recommendations have been put forward to improve infrastructure construction and promote the development of digital villages; strengthen the construction of industrial agglomerations and promote the enhancement of the quality and efficiency of industries; and promote the development of regional linkages and build a solid foundation for food security.