Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China

Hui Zhang, Yingqi Sun, Zhaoying Fan, Zhi Long, Shilong Wan, Zilong Zhang () and Xingpeng Chen
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Hui Zhang: Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Yingqi Sun: Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Zhaoying Fan: Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Zhi Long: Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Shilong Wan: Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Zilong Zhang: Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Xingpeng Chen: Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: Eco-efficiency is a key indicator to measure the level of regional sustainable development. The county is the basic spatial unit of socio-economic activities and sustainable policy implementation in China. Hence, this paper conducts eco-efficiency analysis at the county scale in order to provide reference for the central and local governments to formulate differentiated eco-efficiency enhancement policies, further promote Chinese ecological sustainable development, and advance the construction of ecological civilization with high quality. Based on the Super-Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model and the Malmquist index, the paper constructed an eco-efficiency measurement method and analyzed the variation characteristics, influencing factors, spatial pattern of eco-efficiency in Chinese counties from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that: (1) The eco-efficiency of the county unit was generally low in China and was roughly distributed in a pyramid. The county-level eco-efficiency had a spatial distribution pattern of being high in the west and low in the east, and high in the south and low in the north, with significant non-equilibrium. There was a positive correlation between eco-efficiency of neighboring counties in China. (2) The per-capita GDP has a significant positive correlation with eco-efficiency, while energy consumption, arable land area and eco-efficiency have a negative correlation. The redundancy rate of input indicators was high in Chinese counties. (3) During the study period, the eco-efficiency of most counties displayed a fluctuating growth trend. The growth was mainly driven by technological progress.

Keywords: eco-efficiency; county unit; Super-SBM model; Malmquist index; spatiotemporal characteristics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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