Spatial agglomeration of new energy industries on the performance of regional pollution control through spatial econometric analysis

Sci Total Environ. 2020 Feb 20:704:135261. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135261. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

Abstract

With the increasing prominence of China's energy security and environmental pollution issues, improving environmental control performance is significant for China to achieve a sustainable economy and environment. In this study, the impact of the spatial agglomeration of the new energy industry on the regional pollution control performance was considered in a spatial econometric model. From the two perspectives of technology patents and employees, the impact of the spatial agglomeration of the new energy industry was explored using the spatial panel data model. The research results show the existence of spatial correlation of the pollution control performance among regions. Moreover, the spatial agglomeration of relevant technology patents can have a negative effect and the spatial agglomeration of employees a positive effect on the improvement in regional pollution control performance. Then, policy recommendations to improve the regional pollution control performance are proposed based on the research results: establishing a regional environmental joint governance system, improving the diffusion mode of new energy technology patents, and quickly constructing a new energy industrial park.

Keywords: Econometric analysis; Environmental performance; New energy; Pollution control; Regional pollution; Spatial agglomeration.