Balancing Industrialization with Pollution: Evidence from the Marine Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zone Program in China

Jinxuan Ling and Yi Jin ()
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Jinxuan Ling: School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, China
Yi Jin: School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-21

Abstract: This study provides empirical evidence on how the Marine Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zone program, a policy integrating industrial upgrading with ecological protection, achieves dual objectives in a developing economy context. Theoretically, we uncover three key mechanisms, including green technology innovation, productivity gains, and government intervention, that explain the program’s impacts, offering a framework for reconciling industrialization with environmental sustainability. Our novel findings demonstrate that the program significantly boosts industrial structure upgrading and coastal water quality, with pronounced effects in the Pearl River Delta. We highlight the need for regionally tailored measures, expanded green R&D support, and strategic zone expansion insights critical for China and other developing nations navigating similar trade-offs. By bridging the gap between environmental regulation and industrial transformation, this work contributes to the debates on sustainable development in coastal regions.

Keywords: Marine Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zone; environmental regulation; industrialization; pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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