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Spatial spillover effects of national-level eco-industrial park establishment on regional ecological efficiency: evidence from 271 cities in China

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Abstract

Using a panel dataset of 271 Chinese cities at the city level from 2004 to 2018, this study is the first to adopt a staggered spatial difference-in-differences (SDID) model to investigate the effect and mechanism of the national-level eco-industrial park (NEIP) policies on eco-efficiency. Moreover, this study deeply identifies the policy effect by using a spatial difference-in-difference-in-differences (SDDID) model, spatial attenuation boundary, and event study method. The results show that NEIP can significantly and consistently improve urban eco-efficiency. However, NEIP has a continuous negative effect on the eco-efficiency of the surrounding area. The siphoning effect of the NEIP on eco-efficiency is more pronounced in cities with more than one NEIP or in provincial capitals and municipalities with NEIPs. In addition, the spatial effect of the eco-efficiency of the NEIP can spread for approximately 100 km; i.e., there is a negative impact on the cities in the immediate vicinity of the NEIP (within 100 km). Moreover, the impact of the NEIP on urban and even regional eco-efficiency is mainly realized through the crowding out effect of heavily polluting enterprises and the technological innovation effect. Therefore, based on continuing to expand the NEIP pilot cities, the government should establish several regional eco-industrial city clusters centered on the pilot cities, adopt policies, and build the corresponding infrastructure. In addition, taking into account regional differences, the government should construct differentiated eco-industrial park goals and support policies to achieve regional economic development based on environmental protection.

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Data availability

Data are available from the authors upon request.

Abbreviations

EIP:

Eco-industrial parks

NEIP:

National-level eco-industrial parks

DID:

Difference-in-differences

SDID:

Spatial difference-in-differences

SDDID:

Spatial difference-in-difference-in-differences

SLM:

Spatial lag model

SAR:

Spatial autoregressive model

SDM:

Spatial Durbin model

LMDI:

Logarithmic mean Divisia index

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

SDG:

Sustainable Development Goal

The UN:

The United Nations

R&D:

Research and Development

COD:

Chemical oxygen demand

BEDZ:

Beijing Economic Development Zone

SUTVA:

Stable unit treatment value assumption

DEA:

Data envelopment analysis

WBCSD:

World Business Council for Sustainable Development

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Zhiqiang Cheng, Hui Wang, and Qi Cheng for their insightful comments and suggestions that helped us to substantially improve this work.

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  1. School of Business, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing, 210044, Jiangsu, China

    Zilue Zhang & Xiangjie Wei

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  1. Zilue Zhang
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Zilue Zhang and Xiangjie Wei. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Zilue Zhang, and all authors commented on the previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Zhang, Z., Wei, X. Spatial spillover effects of national-level eco-industrial park establishment on regional ecological efficiency: evidence from 271 cities in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 62440–62460 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26416-4

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