Regional Inequality and Influencing Factors of Primary PM Emissions in the Yangtze River Delta, China

Haibin Xia, Hui Wang and Guangxing Ji
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Haibin Xia: School of Geographic Sciences, Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Hui Wang: School of Resource, Environment and Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, Yunnan 650091, China
Guangxing Ji: School of Geographic Sciences, Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-14

Abstract: In recent years, haze pollution has become more and more serious in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). However, the impact mechanism of socio-economic factors on primary particulate matter (PM) emissions remains unclear. Based on the provincial primary PM emission data in the YRD from 1995 to 2014, this paper used Slope, Theil index, and Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIAPAT) models to quantitatively identify the regional differences of primary PM emissions and explore the key influencing factors. The results showed that primary fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), inhalable particulate (PM 10 ), and total suspended particulate (TSP) emissions all featured an upward trend of fluctuation over the study period. The regional differences in primary TSP emissions in the YRD region was gradually shrinking and the regional differences of primary PM 2.5 and PM 10 emissions presented a rising trend of fluctuation. The estimated coefficient of population size, energy structure, and fixed assets investment (FAI) were all significantly positive at the level of 1%. The negative effect of economic growth on energy PM emissions was significant under the level of 1%. The increase of foreign direct investment (FDI) had different effects on primary PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and TSP emissions. In addition, the influence of energy intensity on primary PM emission from energy consumption are mainly negative but not significant even under the level of 10%. These conclusions have guiding significance for the formulation of PM emission reduction policy without affecting YRD’s economic development.

Keywords: primary PM emissions; regional inequality; influencing factors; Theil index; STIRPAT model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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