Yangtze River Basin Environmental Regulation Efficiency Based on the Empirical Analysis of 97 Cities from 2005 to 2016

Qian Zhang, Decai Tang and Brandon J. Bethel
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Qian Zhang: School of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Decai Tang: School of Law and Business, Sanjiang University, Nanjing 210012, China
Brandon J. Bethel: School of Marine Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: The Yangtze River Basin (YRB) is an important area for China’s economic development and environmental governance. The aim of this paper is to analyze the total factor productivity across 97 cities in the YRB from 2005 to 2016. Based on the input and output indicators from 2005 to 2016, this paper selects the SE-SBM model to measure the environmental regulation efficiency (ERE) of 97 cities in the YRB and then uses the DEA–Malmquist index to measure the total factor productivity of the region. Results suggest that the overall ERE in the YRB is weakly ineffective, while ERE in the central and eastern coastal areas is relatively high. ERE matches the economic foundation and development of the city. YRB environmental regulation efficiency was in descending order in the middle stream, upstream, and downstream. The efficiency of regional environmental regulation shows an N-type development trend, with obvious characteristics of phased development. Moreover, the total factor productivity of the YRB has shown a downward trend. The scale efficiency index and the technical efficiency index have positively boosted the total factor productivity, while the technological progress index has dragged down the total factor productivity of the area. The contribution to the total factor productivity index is in order of scale efficiency, technological progress index, and technological efficiency index in the downstream. The overall inputs and outputs of the YRB have great development potential. The inputs have not been fully utilized, the outputs have not been maximized, and the regional differentiation is significantly observable.

Keywords: Yangtze River Basin; environmental regulation efficiency; SE-SBM model; DEA–Malmquist index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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