Abstract
This paper explores the impacts of industrial collaborative agglomeration on industrial sulfur dioxide intensity from a spatiotemporal perspective based on panel data on the 284 prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2019, with systematic consideration of the underlying mechanism of channels and actions. The empirical results show that industrial co-agglomeration significantly intensifies industrial SO2 intensity, especially with increasing agglomeration. In addition, its positive spatial spillover effects are established in geographical proximity to the city. Furthermore, the channel analysis shows that the industrial structure path, industrial efficiency path, and industrial scale path account for a sharp increase in industrial SO2 intensity. The market forces reverse and moderate this exacerbating process more significantly than the government does, which provides evidence for the importance of pursuing a dynamic equilibrium between them. Finally, there exist heterogeneous effects across cities with different administrative levels, innovation capacities, and macropolicies of special emission limits for air pollutant policy. While arguing for the environmental pollution effects of industrial co-agglomeration, this paper also provides solid support and a new perspective for promoting sustainable economic development and achieving win–win economic and environmental benefits.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The data and materials used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
References
Adedoyin FF, Zakari A (2020) Energy consumption, economic expansion, and CO2 emission in the UK: the role of economic policy uncertainty. Sci Total Environ 738:140014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140014
Aghion P, Akcigit U, Howitt P (2015) The Schumpeterian growth paradigm. Economics 7:557–575. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-economics-080614-115412
Cai Y, Hu Z (2022) Industrial agglomeration and industrial SO2 emissions in China’s 285 cities: evidence from multiple agglomeration types. J Clean Prod 353:131675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131675
Cao K, Jin L, Zhu Y, Nie Z, Li H (2022) Does China’s national demonstration eco-industrial park reduce carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide—a study based on the upgrading and transformation process. Int J Environ Res Public Health 19:12957. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912957
Chen D, Chen S, Jin H (2018) Industrial agglomeration and CO2 emissions: evidence from 187 Chinese prefecture-level cities over 2005–2013. J Clean Prod 172:993–1003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.10.068
Chen C, Sun Y, Lan Q, Jiang F (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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120721
Cheng Z (2016) The spatial correlation and interaction between manufacturing agglomeration and environmental pollution. Ecol Ind 61:1024–1032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.10.060
Dong B, Gong J, Zhao X (2012) FDI and environmental regulation: pollution haven or a race to the top? J Regul Econ 41:216–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11149-011-9162-3
Dong F, Wang Y, Zheng L, Li J, Xie S (2020) Can industrial agglomeration promote pollution agglomeration? Evidence from China. J Clean Prod 246:118960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118960
Ellison G, Glaeser EL (1997) Geographic concentration in US manufacturing industries: a dartboard approach. J Poli Econ 105:889–927. https://doi.org/10.1086/262098
Faber B (2014) Trade integration, market size, and industrialization: evidence from China’s National Trunk Highway System. Rev Econ Stud 81:1046–1070. https://doi.org/10.1093/restud/rdu010
Fan Q, Hudson D (2018) A new endogenous spatial temporal weight matrix based on ratios of Global Moran’s I. J Quant Tech Econ 35:131–149. https://doi.org/10.13653/j.cnki.jqte.20171228.007
Fan G, Wang X, Zhang L, Zhu H (2003) Marketization index for China’s provinces. Econ Res J 3:9–18
Fan W, Wang F, Liu S, Chen T, Bai X, Zhang Y (2023) How does financial and manufacturing co-agglomeration affect environmental pollution? Evidence from China. J Environ Manag 325:116544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116544
Fang J, Tang X, Xie R, Han F (2020) The effect of manufacturing agglomerations on smog pollution. Struct Chang Econ Dyn 54:92–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strueco.2020.04.003
Fang L, Hu R, Mao H, Chen S (2021) How crop insurance influences agricultural green total factor productivity: evidence from Chinese farmers. J Clean Prod 321:128977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128977
Feng Y, He F (2020) The effect of environmental information disclosure on environmental quality: evidence from Chinese cities. J Clean Prod 276:124027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124027
Halleck Vega S, Elhorst JP (2015) The SLX model. J Reg Sci 55:339–363. https://doi.org/10.1111/jors.12188
Han F, Xie R, Fang J, Liu Y et al (2018) The effects of urban agglomeration economies on carbon emissions: evidence from Chinese cities. J Clean Prod 172:1096–1110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.09.273
Hao Y, Gai Z, Wu H (2020) How do resource misallocation and government corruption affect green total factor energy efficiency? Evidence from China. Energy Policy 143:111562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111562
He Z-X, Cao C-S, Wang J-M (2022) Spatial impact of industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation on environmental pollution—evidence from pollution-intensive industries in China. Appl Spat Anal Policy 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12061-022-09470-2
Hong Y, Lyu X, Chen Y, Li W (2020) Industrial agglomeration externalities, local governments’ competition and environmental pollution: evidence from Chinese prefecture-level cities. J Clean Prod 277:123455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123455
Hou H, Chen M, Zhang M (2022) Study on high energy-consuming industrial agglomeration, green finance, and carbon emission. Environ Sci Pollut Res 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24228-6
Huang J, Chen X, Yu K, Cai X (2020) Effect of technological progress on carbon emissions: new evidence from a decomposition and spatiotemporal perspective in China. J Enviro Manag 274:110953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110953
Ji S, Zhu Y, Zhang X (2018) The study of industrial agglomeration improving misallocation of resources. In: 2018 International Conference on Advances in Social Sciences and Sustainable Development (ASSSD 2018). Atlantis Press, pp 213–219. https://doi.org/10.2991/asssd-18.2018.45
Jin P, Zhang Y, Peng X (2014) The double-edged effect of technological progress in carbon dioxide emissions reduction: empirical evidence from 35 sub-industrial sectors in China. Stud Sci Sci 32:706–716. https://doi.org/10.16192/j.cnki.1003-2053.2014.05.006
Jin G, Shen K, Li J (2020) Interjurisdiction political competition and green total factor productivity in China: an inverted-U relationship. China Econ Rev 61:101224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2018.09.005
Jun Z, Guiying W, Jipeng Z (2004) The estimation of China’s provincial capital stock: 1952–2000. Econ Res J 10:35–44
Ke S, Yu Y (2014) The pathways from industrial agglomeration to TFP growth—the experience of Chinese cities for 2001–2010. J Asia Pac Econ 19:310–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/13547860.2014.880286
Li X (2014) An empirical analysis based on marketization, industrial agglomeration and environmental pollution. Stat Res 8:39–45. https://doi.org/10.19343/j.cnki.11-1302/c.2014.08.006
Li Z, Li C (2022) How industrial upgrading can improve China’s air quality: empirical analysis based on multilevel growth model. Environ Sci Pollut Res 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19719-5
Liu X, Zhang X (2021) Industrial agglomeration, technological innovation and carbon productivity: evidence from China. Resou Conserv Recycl 166:105330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105330
Liu J, Cheng Z, Zhang H (2017a) Does industrial agglomeration promote the increase of energy efficiency in China? J Clean Prod 164:30–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.179
Liu S, Zhu Y, Du K (2017b) The impact of industrial agglomeration on industrial pollutant emission: evidence from China under New Normal. Clean Technol Environ Policy 19:2327–2334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-017-1407-0
Liu Y, Yang Y, Li H, Zhong K (2022) Digital economy development, industrial structure upgrading and green total factor productivity: empirical evidence from China’s cities. Int J Environ Res Public Health 19:2414. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042414
Lu P, Liu J, Wang Y, Ruan L (2021) Can industrial agglomeration improve regional green total factor productivity in China? An empirical analysis based on spatial econometrics. Growth Chang 52:1011–1039. https://doi.org/10.1111/grow.12488
Ma T, Wang Y (2021) Globalization and environment: effects of international trade on emission intensity reduction of pollutants causing global and local concerns. J Environ Manag 297:113249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113249
Mauler L, Duffner F, Leker J (2021) Economies of scale in battery cell manufacturing: the impact of material and process innovations. Appl Energy 286:116499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.116499
Mi Z, Zheng J, Meng J, Shan Y, Zheng H, Ou J, Guan D, Wei Y-M (2018) China’s energy consumption in the new normal. Earth’s Future 6:1007–1016
Shen N, Peng H (2021) Can industrial agglomeration achieve the emission-reduction effect? Socio-Econ Plan Sci 75:100867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2020.100867
Shen N, Zhao Y, Wang Q (2018) Diversified agglomeration, specialized agglomeration, and emission reduction effect—a nonlinear test based on Chinese City data. Sustainability 10:2002. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10062002
Shen J, Wang S, Liu W, Chu J (2019) Does migration of pollution-intensive industries impact environmental efficiency? Evidence supporting “pollution haven hypothesis.” J Environ Manag 242:142–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.04.072
Shen Q, Pan Y, Feng Y (2023) Identifying impacts of industrial co-agglomeration on carbon emissions: evidence from China. Front Public Health 11:994. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1154729
Song C, Chen Y, Yin G, Hou Y (2023) Spatial correlation and influencing factors of industrial agglomeration and pollution discharges: a case study of 284 cities in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30:434–450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22230-6
Song Y, Yang L, Sindakis S, Aggarwal S, Chen C (2022) Analyzing the role of high-tech industrial agglomeration in green transformation and upgrading of manufacturing industry: the case of China. J Knowl Econ 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-022-00899-x
Sun W, Huang C (2020) How does urbanization affect carbon emission efficiency? Evidence from China. J Clean Prod 272:122828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122828
Sun Z, Wang X, Liang C, Cao F, Wang L (2021) The impact of heterogeneous environmental regulation on innovation of high-tech enterprises in China: mediating and interaction effect. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:8323–8336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11225-w
Tan X, Yu W, Wu S (2022) The impact of the dynamics of agglomeration externalities on air pollution: evidence from urban panel data in China. Sustainability 14:580. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010580
van der ARJ, Mijling B, Ding J, Koukouli ME, Liu F, Li Q, Mao H, Theys N (2017) Cleaning up the air: effectiveness of air quality policy for SO2 and NOx emissions in China. Atmos Chem Phys 17:1775–1789. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-1775-2017
Wang H, Wang M (2020) Effects of technological innovation on energy efficiency in China: evidence from dynamic panel of 284 cities. Sci Total Environ 709:136172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136172
Wang J, Wei YD (2019) Agglomeration, environmental policies and surface water quality in China: a study based on a quasi-natural experiment. Sustainability 11:5394. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195394
Wang KL, Yang L, Yang BC, Cheng YH (2013) Energy economic efficiency, the energy environmental performance and regional economic growth. J Manag 26:86–99. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1672-0334.2013.03.009
Wang F, Fan W, Liu J, Wang G, Chai W (2020) The effect of urbanization and spatial agglomeration on carbon emissions in urban agglomeration. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27:24329–24341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08597-4
Wang J, Dong X, Dong K (2022) How does ICT agglomeration affect carbon emissions? The case of Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration in China. Energy Econ 111:106107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.106107
Wei W, Zhang W-L, Wen J, Wang J-S (2020) TFP growth in Chinese cities: the role of factor-intensity and industrial agglomeration. Econ Model 91:534–549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2019.12.022
Wu K, You K, Ren H, Gan L (2022) The impact of industrial agglomeration on ecological efficiency: an empirical analysis based on 244 Chinese cities. Environ Impact Assess Rev 96:106841. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2022.106841
Xu D, Yu B, Liang L (2022a) High-tech industrial agglomeration and urban innovation in China’s Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration: from the perspective of industrial structure optimization and industrial attributes. Complexity 2022a https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2555182
Xu J, Wang J, Yang X, Xiong C (2022b) Peer effects in local government decision-making: evidence from urban environmental regulation. Sustain Cities Soc 104066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.104066
Yan J, Yang X, Nie C, Su X, Zhao J, Ran Q (2022) Does government intervention affect CO2 emission reduction effect of producer service agglomeration? Empirical analysis based on spatial Durbin model and dynamic threshold model. Environ Sci Poll Res 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20143-y
Yang H, Lu F, Zhang F (2020) Exploring the effect of producer services agglomeration on China’s energy efficiency under environmental constraints. J Clean Prod 263:121320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121320
Yang H, Li L, Liu Y (2022) The effect of manufacturing intelligence on green innovation performance in China. Technol Forecast Soc Chang 178:121569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121569
Yang H, Zhang F, He Y (2021) Exploring the effect of producer services and manufacturing industrial co-agglomeration on the ecological environment pollution control in China. Environ Dev Sustain 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01339-7
Yang R, Hu Z, Hu S (2023) The failure of collaborative agglomeration: from the perspective of industrial pollution emission. J Clean Prod 135952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.135952
You J, Zhang W (2022) How heterogeneous technological progress promotes industrial structure upgrading and industrial carbon efficiency? Evidence from China’s industries. Energy 247:123386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2022.123386
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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104807
Zhang L, Mu R, Hu S, Yu J, Zhang J (2022) Industrial coagglomeration, technological innovation, and environmental pollution in China: life-cycle perspective of coagglomeration. J Clean Prod 362:132280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132280
Zhao J, Dong X, Dong K (2021) How does producer services’ agglomeration promote carbon reduction?: the case of China. Econ Model 104:105624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2021.105624
Zheng H, He Y (2022) How does industrial co-agglomeration affect high-quality economic development? Evidence from Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle in China. J Clean Prod 371:133485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133485
Zheng X, Yu Y, Wang J, Deng H (2014) Identifying the determinants and spatial nexus of provincial carbon intensity in China: a dynamic spatial panel approach. Reg Environ Chang 14:1651–1661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-014-0611-2
Zheng K, Deng H, Lyu K, Yang S, Cao Y (2022) Market integration, industrial structure, and carbon emissions: evidence from China. Energies 15:9371. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249371
Zhuang R, Mi K, Feng Z (2021) Industrial co-agglomeration and air pollution reduction: an empirical evidence based on provincial panel data. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18:12097. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212097
Funding
This paper received funding from the Postdoctoral Research Foundation of China (No. 2022M720131).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Qiong Shen and Yuxi Pan wrote the manuscript and analyzed research data. Yanchao Feng wrote, edited, and reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
Not applicable.
Consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
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.
About this article
Cite this article
Shen, Q., Pan, Y. & Feng, Y. The impacts of industrial collaborative agglomeration on industrial sulfur dioxide emissions in China: from the novel perspective of spatiotemporal matrix. Environ Sci Pollut Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28705-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28705-4