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The dynamics and drivers of environmental performance in Chinese cities: a decomposition analysis

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Abstract

This paper examines urban environmental performance using a unique database of 286 Chinese cities for the period 2002–2014. Both the dynamics of urban total factor environmental efficiency and total factor environmental productivity are explored employing slack-based measures. The findings reveal a U-shaped trend of urban environmental performance over time during the sample period. Energy conservation and pollutant reduction were the key drivers of this transformation, while the deterioration in capital efficiency slowed down this transformation. In terms of regional and city-size heterogeneities, the eastern and large cities showed better environmental performance. In addition, environmental Kuznets relationship existed for waste water and SO2 emissions, but not for CO2 emissions.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzsed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Notes

  1. CO2 emissions are estimated by using standard emissions conversion factors for coal gas, LPG, fuel, and coal from IPCC (2006).

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Funding

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2018A030310025), Humanities and Social Science Fund of Ministry of Education of China (20YJCZH144; 16YJA790050), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2019A1515010884), and Pearl River Talents Plan of Guangdong Province (20170133)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Resource, Environment and Sustainable Development, School of Economics, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China

    Jianxin Wu & Ziwei Feng

  2. School of Economics and Trade, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Kai Tang

Authors
  1. Jianxin Wu
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  2. Ziwei Feng
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  3. Kai Tang
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Jianxin Wu, Ziwei Feng, Kai Tang

Methodology: Jianxin Wu, Ziwei Feng

Formal analysis and investigation: Jianxin Wu, Ziwei Feng, Kai Tang

Writing—original draft preparation: Jianxin Wu, Ziwei Feng, Kai Tang

Writing—review and editing: Kai Tang

Funding acquisition: Kai Tang, Jianxin Wu

Resources: Kai Tang, Jianxin Wu

Supervision: Kai Tang.

Jianxin Wu and Kai Tang are co-first authors.

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Correspondence to Kai Tang.

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Table 5 Definition of variables and abbreviations
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Wu, J., Feng, Z. & Tang, K. The dynamics and drivers of environmental performance in Chinese cities: a decomposition analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 30626–30641 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12786-0

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