IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i22p12218-d684175.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring PM2.5 Environmental Efficiency and Its Influencing Factors in China

Author

Listed:
  • Dongdong Ma

    (School of Economics, Henan University of Economics and Law, Zhengzhou 450046, China)

  • Guifang Li

    (Institute of Economics and Management, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China)

  • Feng He

    (School of Economics and Management, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract

In China, air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution, has become increasingly serious with the rapid economic growth that has occurred over the past 40 years. This paper aims to introduce PM2.5 pollution as a constraint in the environmental efficiency research framework through the use of panel data covering the Chinese provinces from 2001–2018. PM2.5 environmental efficiency is measured with the slack-based measure (SBM)-Undesirable-variable returns-to-scale (VRS) model, and the results show that the average PM2.5 environmental efficiency score is 0.702, which indicates inefficiency, and is U-shaped over time. The PM2.5 environmental efficiency scores are unbalanced across the eight regions and 30 provinces of China. Additionally, the relationship between PM2.5 environmental efficiency and its influencing factors is examined with a tobit model, and the empirical findings indicate that the relationship between economic development and PM2.5 environmental efficiency is an inverted U, which is the opposite of the traditional environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). In addition, technological innovation, trade dependency, and regional development each have a significantly positive effect on PM2.5 environmental efficiency. However, environmental regulations, the industrial structure, and population density have significantly negative effects on PM2.5 environmental efficiency. Finally, this paper fails to prove that foreign direct investment (FDI) has created a PM2.5 “pollution haven” in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Dongdong Ma & Guifang Li & Feng He, 2021. "Exploring PM2.5 Environmental Efficiency and Its Influencing Factors in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12218-:d:684175
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/12218/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/12218/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wang, Ke & Lu, Bin & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2013. "China’s regional energy and environmental efficiency: A Range-Adjusted Measure based analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1403-1415.
    2. Grossman, G.M & Krueger, A.B., 1991. "Environmental Impacts of a North American Free Trade Agreement," Papers 158, Princeton, Woodrow Wilson School - Public and International Affairs.
    3. Jian Hou & Yifang An & Hongfeng Song & Jiancheng Chen, 2019. "The Impact of Haze Pollution on Regional Eco-Economic Treatment Efficiency in China: An Environmental Regulation Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-18, October.
    4. Dongdong Ma & Feng He & Guifang Li & Guangjun Deng, 2021. "Does haze pollution affect public health in China from the perspective of environmental efficiency?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(11), pages 16343-16357, November.
    5. Zhaoqiang Zhong & Benhong Peng & Ehsan Elahi, 2021. "Spatial and temporal pattern evolution and influencing factors of energy–environmental efficiency: A case study of Yangtze River urban agglomeration in China," Energy & Environment, , vol. 32(2), pages 242-261, March.
    6. Huanbi Yue & Chunyang He & Qingxu Huang & Dan Yin & Brett A. Bryan, 2020. "Stronger policy required to substantially reduce deaths from PM2.5 pollution in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Shichun Xu & Yiwen Li & Yuan Tao & Yan Wang & Yunfan Li, 2020. "Regional Differences in the Spatial Characteristics and Dynamic Convergence of Environmental Efficiency in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    8. Fare, Rolf, et al, 1989. "Multilateral Productivity Comparisons When Some Outputs Are Undesirable: A Nonparametric Approach," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 71(1), pages 90-98, February.
    9. Cropper, Maureen & Griffiths, Charles, 1994. "The Interaction of Population Growth and Environmental Quality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(2), pages 250-254, May.
    10. Shixiong Cheng & Wei Liu & Kai Lu, 2018. "Economic Growth Effect and Optimal Carbon Emissions under China’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Policy: A Time Substitution DEA Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-23, May.
    11. Selden Thomas M. & Song Daqing, 1994. "Environmental Quality and Development: Is There a Kuznets Curve for Air Pollution Emissions?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 147-162, September.
    12. Apergis, Nicholas & Aye, Goodness C. & Barros, Carlos Pestana & Gupta, Rangan & Wanke, Peter, 2015. "Energy efficiency of selected OECD countries: A slacks based model with undesirable outputs," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 45-53.
    13. Khoshnevisan, Benyamin & Rafiee, Shahin & Omid, Mahmoud & Mousazadeh, Hossein, 2013. "Applying data envelopment analysis approach to improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emission of wheat production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 588-593.
    14. Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki & Yuan, Yan, 2015. "China's regional sustainability and diversified resource allocation: DEA environmental assessment on economic development and air pollution," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 239-256.
    15. Shunsuke Managi & Shinji Kaneko, 2004. "Environmental Productivity in China," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 17(2), pages 1-10.
    16. Yin, Pengzhen & Sun, Jiasen & Chu, Junfei & Liang, Liang, 2016. "Evaluating the environmental efficiency of a two-stage system with undesired outputs by a DEA approach: An interest preference perspectiveAuthor-Name: Wu, Jie," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 254(3), pages 1047-1062.
    17. repec:ebl:ecbull:v:17:y:2004:i:2:p:1-10 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Jin-chi Hsieh & Ching-cheng Lu & Ying Li & Yung-ho Chiu & Ya-sue Xu, 2019. "Environmental Assessment of European Union Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-18, January.
    19. Tone, Kaoru, 2001. "A slacks-based measure of efficiency in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(3), pages 498-509, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jingyuan Li & Jinhua Cheng & Yang Wen & Jingyu Cheng & Zhong Ma & Peiqi Hu & Shurui Jiang, 2022. "The Cause of China’s Haze Pollution: City Level Evidence Based on the Extended STIRPAT Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Xiao Han & Yining Chen & Hehua Zhao, 2023. "Temporal–Spatial Evolution, Influencing Factors, and Driving Mechanisms of Environmental Regulation Performance Disparities: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-26, July.
    3. Jingbin Wang & Huiling Qiao & Jing Liu & Bo Li, 2022. "Does the Establishment of National New Areas Improve Urban Ecological Efficiency? Empirical Evidence Based on Staggered DID Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Min Zhou & Hua Zhang & Zixuan Zhang & Hanxiaoxue Sun, 2023. "Digital Financial Inclusion, Cultivated Land Transfer and Cultivated Land Green Utilization Efficiency: An Empirical Study from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    5. Min Zhou & Hanxiaoxue Sun & Nan Ke, 2022. "The Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Coordination Degree Concerning China’s Cultivated Land Green Utilization Efficiency and High-Quality Agricultural Development," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-21, December.
    6. Xi Kan & Xu Liu & Zhou Zhou & Yonghong Zhang & Linglong Zhu & Kenny Thiam Choy Lim Kam Sian & Qi Liu, 2023. "Analysis of Spatiotemporal Variation and Influencing Factors of PM 2.5 in China Based on Multisource Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-24, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dongdong Ma & Feng He & Guifang Li & Guangjun Deng, 2021. "Does haze pollution affect public health in China from the perspective of environmental efficiency?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(11), pages 16343-16357, November.
    2. Zhou, Haibo & Yang, Yi & Chen, Yao & Zhu, Joe, 2018. "Data envelopment analysis application in sustainability: The origins, development and future directions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 264(1), pages 1-16.
    3. Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki & Yuan, Yan & Goto, Mika, 2017. "A literature study for DEA applied to energy and environment," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 104-124.
    4. Mardani, Abbas & Zavadskas, Edmundas Kazimieras & Streimikiene, Dalia & Jusoh, Ahmad & Khoshnoudi, Masoumeh, 2017. "A comprehensive review of data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach in energy efficiency," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 1298-1322.
    5. Yu, Anyu & Zhang, Puwei & Rudkin, Simon, 2022. "Simultaneous action or protection after production? Decision making based on a chance-constrained approach by measuring environmental performance considering PM2.5," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    6. Bradford David F. & Fender Rebecca A & Shore Stephen H. & Wagner Martin, 2005. "The Environmental Kuznets Curve: Exploring a Fresh Specification," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 4(1), pages 1-28, June.
    7. Qin, Quande & Li, Xin & Li, Li & Zhen, Wei & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2017. "Air emissions perspective on energy efficiency: An empirical analysis of China’s coastal areas," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 604-614.
    8. Rothman, Dale S., 1998. "Environmental Kuznets curves--real progress or passing the buck?: A case for consumption-based approaches," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 177-194, May.
    9. Richard T. Carson, 2010. "The Environmental Kuznets Curve: Seeking Empirical Regularity and Theoretical Structure," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 4(1), pages 3-23, Winter.
    10. Wang, Sophie Xuefei & Fu, Yu Benjamin & Zhang, Zhe George, 2015. "Population growth and the environmental Kuznets curve," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 146-165.
    11. Oparinde, Adewale, 2010. "Investigating the relationship between income, health and biomass consumption: a panel data analysis," MPRA Paper 39305, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Bi Goli Jean Jacques Iritie, 2015. "Economic Growth and Biodiversity: An Overview Conservation Policies in Africa," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(2), pages 196-196, February.
    13. Apergis, Nicholas & Aye, Goodness C. & Barros, Carlos Pestana & Gupta, Rangan & Wanke, Peter, 2015. "Energy efficiency of selected OECD countries: A slacks based model with undesirable outputs," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 45-53.
    14. Nguyen Van, Phu & Azomahou, Theophile, 2007. "Nonlinearities and heterogeneity in environmental quality: An empirical analysis of deforestation," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 291-309, September.
    15. Shuangjie Li & Hongyu Diao & Liming Wang & Chunqi Li, 2021. "Energy Efficiency Measurement: A VO TFEE Approach and Its Application," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    16. Fang-Rong Ren & Ze Tian & Yu-Ting Shen & Yung-Ho Chiu & Tai-Yu Lin, 2019. "Energy, CO 2 , and AQI Efficiency and Improvement of the Yangtze River Economic Belt," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-17, February.
    17. Toshiyuki Sueyoshi & Yan Yuan & Aijun Li & Daoping Wang, 2017. "Social Sustainability of Provinces in China: A Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Window Analysis under the Concepts of Natural and Managerial Disposability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-18, November.
    18. Jeffrey A. Frankel & Andrew K. Rose, 2005. "Is Trade Good or Bad for the Environment? Sorting Out the Causality," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(1), pages 85-91, February.
    19. Théophile AZOMAHOU & NGUYEN Van Phu, 2001. "Economic Growth and CO2 Emissions: a Nonparametric Approach," Working Papers of BETA 2001-01, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    20. Amjad Ali & Marc Audi & Ismail Senturk & Yannick Roussel, 2022. "Do Sectoral Growth Promote CO2 Emissions in Pakistan? Time Series Analysis in Presence of Structural Break," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(2), pages 410-425, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12218-:d:684175. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.