Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental regulation, industrial agglomeration, and marine green development efficiency: an empirical analysis from China’s coastal provinces

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Environmental regulation (ER) and industrial agglomeration (IA) are important factors that affect green development efficiency (GDE). However, there is a lack of studies on their relation in the context of the marine economy. This paper integrates ER, IA, and marine GDE (MGDE) into a unified analytical framework and uses balanced panel data from China’s 11 coastal provinces during 2008–2019 to quantify the linear, nonlinear, and spatial spillover effects between the three using the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and threshold effect model. The results show that ER has a negative impact on local and surrounding MGDE through the direct and spatial spillover effects. IA has a positive impact on local and surrounding MGDE through direct and spatial spillover effects. The synergistic impact of ER and IA can significantly boost local and surrounding MGDE. When ER surpasses a certain threshold, it amplifies the positive impact of IA on MGDE. These findings offer theoretical and practical references for the Chinese government to formulate marine environmental governance and industrial development policies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Ancona E, Donati A (2019) The influence of the European Union on maritime governance: from integrated maritime policy to the blue growth strategy. Ocean Coast Manag 168:249–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Arrow KL (2003) The economic implications of learning by doing. Rev Econ Stud 70(1):155–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Barclay K, Cinner JE (2019) Strengthening the link between social capital and marine conservation outcomes. Front Mar Sci 6:311

    Google Scholar 

  • Boschma R, Minondo A, Navarro M (2011) Related variety and regional growth in Spain. Pap Reg Sci 90(1):15–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Buck BH, Gjerde KM, Agardy T (2019) Marine spatial planning as a tool for implementing ecosystem-based management: a comparative study of european Approaches. Mar Policy 105:51–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Cassotta S, Racault MF, Côte I (2019) Ocean literacy in Europe: a conceptual framework for ocean literacy and marine citizenship. Front Mar Sci 6:195

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen C, Sun Y, Lan Q et al (2020) Impacts of industrial agglomeration on pollution and ecological efficiency—a spatial econometric analysis based on a big panel dataset of China’s 259 cities. J Clean Prod 258:120721

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Yang Y, Yang M et al (2022) The impact of environmental regulation on China’s industrial green development and its heterogeneity. Front Ecol Evol 10:684372

    Google Scholar 

  • Coelho J, Nunes LC, Ramos S (2020) Economic incentives for sustainable fisheries management: the case of bluefin tuna. Mar Policy 117:103974

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa C, Baptista R (2012) Agglomeration vs. organizational reproduction: the molds cluster in Portugal. Papers Evol EconGeogr 12(1):1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding L, Zhu L, He G (2015) Measurement and influencing factors of green total factor productivity of marine economy in China. Forum Sci Technol China 2:72–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding L, Zhang K, Yang Y (2021) Research progress on the efficiency of green growth of China’s marine economy from the perspective of biased technological progress. Mar Sci Bull 40(3):254–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding R, Shi F, Hao S (2022) Digital inclusive finance, environmental regulation, and regional economic growth: an empirical study based on spatial spillover effect and panel threshold effect. Sustainability 14(7):4340

    Google Scholar 

  • Fang Y, Quan Y, He Y et al (2021) The impact of government preferences and environmental regulations on green development of China’s marine economy. Environ Impact Assess Rev 87:106522

    Google Scholar 

  • Geng Y, Wang Z, Chen B (2019) A spatio-temporal analysis of China’s marine economy growth and environmental quality: an empirical study based on the environmental kuznets curve. Mar Policy 103:100–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo S, Ma H (2021) Does industrial agglomeration promote high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin in China? Empirical test from the moderating effect of environmental regulation. Growth Chang 52(4):2040–2070

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo Y, Tong L, Mei L (2020) The effect of industrial agglomeration on green development efficiency in Northeast China since the revitalization. J Clean Prod 258:120584

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo J, Yuan X, Song W (2022) Driving forces on the development of China’s marine economy: efficiency and spatial perspective. Ocean Coast Manag 224:106192

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen BE (2000) Sample splitting and threshold estimation. Econometrica 68(3):575–603

    Google Scholar 

  • Hao A, Tan J, Ren Z et al (2022) A spatial empirical examination of the relationship between agglomeration and green total-factor productivity in the context of the carbon emission peak. Front Environ Sci 10:829160

  • He Z, Cao C, Wang J (2022) Spatial impact of industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation on environmental pollution—evidence from pollution-intensive industries in China. Appl Spat Anal Policy 15:525–1555

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin Y, Yu HN (2019) A comparative analysis of legal and institutional frameworks for marine spatial planning in China and South Korea. Ocean Coast Manag 174:105–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Krautzberger L, Wetzel H (2012) Transport and CO2: productivity growth and carbon dioxide emissions in the European commercial transport industry. Environ Resource Econ 53:435–454

    Google Scholar 

  • Lei W, Xiaoyan J, Chao W et al (2020) Impact of heterogeneous environmental regulation on green total factors productivity. China Popul Resour Environ 14:443–452

    Google Scholar 

  • LeSage J, Pace RK (2009) Introduction to spatial econometrics. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, New York

  • Li X, Lai X, Zhang F (2021a) Research on green innovation effect of industrial agglomeration from perspective of environmental regulation: evidence in China. J Clean Prod 288:125583

    Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Xu C, Cheng B et al (2021b) Does environmental regulation improve the green total factor productivity of Chinese Cities? A threshold effect analysis based on the economic development level. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18(9):4828

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Chen S (2022) Has environmental regulation facilitated the green transformation of the marine industry? Mar Policy 144:105238

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu P, Zhu B, Yang M (2021) Has marine technology innovation promoted the high-quality development of the marine economy?—evidence from coastal regions in China. Ocean Coast Manag 209:105695

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu P, Liu J, Wang Y et al (2021) Can industrial agglomeration improve regional green total factor productivity in China? An empirical analysis based on spatial econometrics. Growth Chang 52(2):1011–1039

    Google Scholar 

  • Lydia G (2003) The impact of industrial specialization and diversity on innovation. Bruss Econ Rev 46:11–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma J, Hu Q, Wei X (2022) Impact of environmental regulation on coastal marine pollution—a case of coastal prefecture-level cities in China. Front Mar Sci 9:882010

  • Marshall A (1920) Principles of economics. MacMillan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Me Y (2022) A study of the impact of industrial agglomeration on the efficiency of marine industry. Rev Econ Manag 38(02):147–158

    Google Scholar 

  • MEE (2021) Report on the state of the ecology and environment in China 2020

  • Miao Z, Chen X (2022) Combining parametric and non-parametric approach, variable & source -specific productivity changes and rebound effect of energy & environment. Technol Forecast Soc Chang 175:121368

    Google Scholar 

  • Miao Z, Guo A, Chen X et al (2022a) Network technology, whole-process performance, and variable-specific decomposition analysis: solutions for energy-economy-environment nexus. IEEE Trans Eng Manag 68:1–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Miao Z, Zhang Y, Liu S et al (2022b) Heterogeneous strategy and performance decomposition: Energy-economy-environment nexus in the light of natural & managerial disposability. Environ Impact Assess Rev 95:106777

    Google Scholar 

  • NDRC, MENR (2022) China marine economic development report 2021

  • Österblom H, Jouffray JB, Troell M (2019) The role of marine protected areas in advancing ecosystem-based fisheries management. Aquat Conserv Mar Freshwat Ecosyst 29(6):879–885

    Google Scholar 

  • Pei Y, Zhu Y, Liu S et al (2021) Industrial agglomeration and environmental pollution: based on the specialized and diversified agglomeration in the Yangtze River Delta. Environ Dev Sustain 23(3):4061–4085

    Google Scholar 

  • Peng H, Shen N, Ying H et al (2021) Can environmental regulation directly promote green innovation behavior?—based on situation of industrial agglomeration. J Clean Prod 314:128044

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter ME (1990) The competitive advantage of nations. Free Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter ME, van der Linde C (1995) Toward a new conception of the environment-competitiveness relationship. J Econ Perspect 9:97–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Ren W, Ji J (2021) How do environmental regulation and technological innovation affect the sustainable development of marine economy: new evidence from China’s coastal provinces and cities. Mar Policy 128:104468

    Google Scholar 

  • Ren W, Wang Q, Ji J (2018) Research on China’s marine economic growth pattern: an empirical analysis of China’s eleven coastal regions. Mar Policy 87:158–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Romer PM (1986) Increasing returns and long-run growth. J Polit Econ 5(94):1002–1037

    Google Scholar 

  • Tone K (2001) A slacks-based measure of efficiency in data envelopment analysis. European Journal of Operational Research 130:498–509

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit S, Söderqvist T, Nordfjærn T (2020) A multilevel analysis of stakeholder engagement for marine spatial planning in Europe. Ocean Coast Manag 184:105013

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Song M, Yu T (2019) Hidden carbon emissions, industrial clusters, and structure optimization in China. Comput Econ 54(4):1319–1342

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Lu B, Yin K (2021a) Financial development, productivity, and high-quality development of the marine economy. Mar Policy 130:104553

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Chen S, Zhang H (2021b) Effect of income and energy efficiency on natural capital demand. Environ Sci Pollut Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13971-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Sun X, Song M (2021c) Environmental regulation, resource misallocation, and ecological efficiency. Emerg Mark Financ Trade 57:611–630

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang K, Sun T, Xu R et al (2022a) How does internet development promote urban green innovation efficiency? Evidence from China. Technol Forecast Soc Chang 184:122017

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang K, Zhao B, Fan T et al (2022b) Economic growth targets and carbon emissions: evidence from China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 19(13):8053

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Li W, Xing L (2022c) Review on marine economics and management: how to exploit the ocean well. Water 14:2626. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14172626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei X, Hu Q, Shen W et al (2021) Influence of the evolution of marine industry structure on the green total factor productivity of marine economy. Water 13(8):1108

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xie W, Li X (2021) Can industrial agglomeration facilitate green development? Evidence from China. Front Environ Sci 9

  • Yan S, Zuo J, Zhang J (2021) Does marine protected area promote green development of marine economy? Evidence from China. J Clean Prod 312:127704

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu J, Liu X, Shan C (2014) Research on the impact of marine industrial agglomeration on economic growth: GMM method based on Dynamic Panel Data. Dongyue Tribune 35(12):140–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Wang S (2021) Influence of marine industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation on marine innovation efficiency—from an innovation value chain perspective. Mar Policy 134:104807

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Zhang H, Fu Y et al (2021a) Effects of industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation on urban ecological efficiency: evidence from 269 cities in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28(46):66389–66408

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Zou L, Li Y (2021b) Evaluating the impact of marine ecological environment quality on green development efficiency: evidence from China. Mar Policy 127:104641

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng H, Zhang L, Zhao X (2022b) How does environmental regulation moderate the relationship between foreign direct investment and marine green economy efficiency: an empirical evidence from China’s coastal areas. Ocean Coast Manag 219:106077

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng H, Zhang L, Song W et al (2022a) Pollution heaven or pollution halo? Assessing the role of heterogeneous environmental regulation in the impact of foreign direct investment on green economic efficiency. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30(8):21619–21637

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Y, Wang N, Xie R (2022) Exploring the role of heterogeneous environmental regulations in industrial agglomeration: a fresh evidence from China. Sustainability 14(17):10902

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 71973131 and 71973132) and Major Project of National Social Science Foundation of China (No. 19VHQ002).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266011, Shandong, China

    Ke-Liang Wang, Xiang-Xiang Ru & Li-Li Ding

  2. School of Economics and Management, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232011, Anhui, China

    Yun-He Cheng

Authors
  1. Ke-Liang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiang-Xiang Ru
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Li-Li Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yun-He Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Ke-Liang Wang: conceptualization, writing-original draft, writing—review and editing, supervision. Xiang-Xiang Ru: formal analysis, data curation, writing—original draft. Li–Li Ding: writing—review and editing, supervision. Yun-He Cheng: writing—review and editing, supervision.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ke-Liang Wang.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Ilhan Ozturk

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, KL., Ru, XX., Ding, LL. et al. Environmental regulation, industrial agglomeration, and marine green development efficiency: an empirical analysis from China’s coastal provinces. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 82851–82865 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28167-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28167-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation