Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China
Eco-efficiency is a key indicator to measure the level of regional sustainable development. The county is the basic spatial unit of socio-economic activities and sustainable policy implementation in China. Hence, this paper conducts eco-efficiency analysis at the county scale in order to provide ref...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/2/438 |
| _version_ | 1827756892603023360 |
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| author | Hui Zhang Yingqi Sun Zhaoying Fan Zhi Long Shilong Wan Zilong Zhang Xingpeng Chen |
| author_facet | Hui Zhang Yingqi Sun Zhaoying Fan Zhi Long Shilong Wan Zilong Zhang Xingpeng Chen |
| author_sort | Hui Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Eco-efficiency is a key indicator to measure the level of regional sustainable development. The county is the basic spatial unit of socio-economic activities and sustainable policy implementation in China. Hence, this paper conducts eco-efficiency analysis at the county scale in order to provide reference for the central and local governments to formulate differentiated eco-efficiency enhancement policies, further promote Chinese ecological sustainable development, and advance the construction of ecological civilization with high quality. Based on the Super-Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model and the Malmquist index, the paper constructed an eco-efficiency measurement method and analyzed the variation characteristics, influencing factors, spatial pattern of eco-efficiency in Chinese counties from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that: (1) The eco-efficiency of the county unit was generally low in China and was roughly distributed in a pyramid. The county-level eco-efficiency had a spatial distribution pattern of being high in the west and low in the east, and high in the south and low in the north, with significant non-equilibrium. There was a positive correlation between eco-efficiency of neighboring counties in China. (2) The per-capita GDP has a significant positive correlation with eco-efficiency, while energy consumption, arable land area and eco-efficiency have a negative correlation. The redundancy rate of input indicators was high in Chinese counties. (3) During the study period, the eco-efficiency of most counties displayed a fluctuating growth trend. The growth was mainly driven by technological progress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:33:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a3228810b428410bb9f68c09fb9aea79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:33:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-a3228810b428410bb9f68c09fb9aea792023-11-16T21:37:20ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2023-02-0112243810.3390/land12020438Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in ChinaHui Zhang0Yingqi Sun1Zhaoying Fan2Zhi Long3Shilong Wan4Zilong Zhang5Xingpeng Chen6Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaEco-efficiency is a key indicator to measure the level of regional sustainable development. The county is the basic spatial unit of socio-economic activities and sustainable policy implementation in China. Hence, this paper conducts eco-efficiency analysis at the county scale in order to provide reference for the central and local governments to formulate differentiated eco-efficiency enhancement policies, further promote Chinese ecological sustainable development, and advance the construction of ecological civilization with high quality. Based on the Super-Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model and the Malmquist index, the paper constructed an eco-efficiency measurement method and analyzed the variation characteristics, influencing factors, spatial pattern of eco-efficiency in Chinese counties from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that: (1) The eco-efficiency of the county unit was generally low in China and was roughly distributed in a pyramid. The county-level eco-efficiency had a spatial distribution pattern of being high in the west and low in the east, and high in the south and low in the north, with significant non-equilibrium. There was a positive correlation between eco-efficiency of neighboring counties in China. (2) The per-capita GDP has a significant positive correlation with eco-efficiency, while energy consumption, arable land area and eco-efficiency have a negative correlation. The redundancy rate of input indicators was high in Chinese counties. (3) During the study period, the eco-efficiency of most counties displayed a fluctuating growth trend. The growth was mainly driven by technological progress.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/2/438eco-efficiencycounty unitSuper-SBM modelMalmquist indexspatiotemporal characteristics |
| spellingShingle | Hui Zhang Yingqi Sun Zhaoying Fan Zhi Long Shilong Wan Zilong Zhang Xingpeng Chen Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China Land eco-efficiency county unit Super-SBM model Malmquist index spatiotemporal characteristics |
| title | Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China |
| title_full | Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China |
| title_short | Analysis of County-Scale Eco-Efficiency and Spatiotemporal Characteristics in China |
| title_sort | analysis of county scale eco efficiency and spatiotemporal characteristics in china |
| topic | eco-efficiency county unit Super-SBM model Malmquist index spatiotemporal characteristics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/2/438 |
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