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Polycentric agglomeration and haze pollution: evidence from China

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Abstract

Polycentric agglomeration has gradually become a salient feature of rapid growth in urbanization in China. Using province-level balanced panel data over the period 2000–18, we examine the impact of polycentric agglomeration on haze pollution and its mechanism of action. The results show that the impact of polycentric agglomeration on haze pollution exhibits a significant inverted U-shaped feature. Nevertheless, except for a few provinces where polycentric agglomeration exceeds the turning point, the degree of polycentric concentration in most provinces lies to the left of the turning point. Further, a mediating effect model illustrates that industrial structure rationalization and technological progress are effective paths through which polycentric agglomeration affects haze pollution. Finally, we demonstrate that the effect of polycentric agglomeration on haze pollution is influenced by transportation and communication infrastructure; improved transportation and communication infrastructure contributes to the haze control effect of polycentric agglomeration.

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Data used are available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and suggestions, which have enabled us to greatly improve the paper.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71903001) and the Major Project of Anhui University of Finance and Economics (Grant No. ACKYA21001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics and Management, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China

    Kexin Wu

  2. School of International Trade and Economics, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu, 233030, China

    Xu Chen

  3. School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia

    Sajid Anwar & William Robert J. Alexander

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  1. Kexin Wu
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  2. Xu Chen
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  3. Sajid Anwar
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  4. William Robert J. Alexander
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Wu and Chen conceived the idea and wrote the initial draft. Anwar and Alexander re-wrote the entire paper, updated the literature review, and interpreted the results. All authors approved the paper.

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Correspondence to Sajid Anwar.

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Appendix

Appendix

Tables 12 and 13

Table 12 Polycentric agglomeration based on GDP perspective
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Table 13 Moderating effect of transport infrastructure based on GDP
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Wu, K., Chen, X., Anwar, S. et al. Polycentric agglomeration and haze pollution: evidence from China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 35646–35662 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24383-w

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