The Impact on Environmental Kuznets Curve by Trade and Foreign Direct Investment in China

Based on data of trade, foreign directinvestment (FDI), economic development andenvironmental conditions in China’s 30 provincesbetween 1990-2002, this paper deals with the impacton Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) of tradeand FDI in China. The results show no direct impacton EKC of trade, on the one hand. However, tradecontributes significantly to economic growth, andhas played a positive role in introducing advancedpollution prevention technology and environmentalmanagement methodology to China. Therefore, aproactive trade policy will help solve the environmentalpollution problem brought by economic growth. Onthe other hand, there is a positive correlation betweenFDI and pollutant emission, which proves that FDIdoes have some negative influence on environmentin China due to hasty introduction of foreign capitaland inadequate environmental management systemin China.

Analysis on the Characteristics of Environmental Kuznets Curve and Assessment of Air Quality in Qingdao City

[Objective] The aim was to analyze the characteristics of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and assess air quality in Qingdao City. [Method] The EKC characteristics of Qingdao from 1996 to 2008 were studied based on air pollutant discharge indices, air pollution indices and economic data from the environmental quality reports and statistics yearbooks of Qingdao, and the air quality of Qingdao City was assessed. [Result] With the increase of GDP per capita, the total discharge of industrial waste gases improved remarkably, and its EKC showed inverted U type. Meanwhile, the discharge of SO2, industrial fumes and industrial dusts decreased on the whole, and the EKC of sulfur dioxide and industrial fumes was close to inverted N type. In addition, air pollution composite index also showed decrease trend, and its EKC showed inverted N type. In recent 13 years, the concentration of SO2, particles and NO2 in ambient air of Qingdao City showed decrease trend on the whole, especially particles. In addition, PM10 has replaced SO2 as the primary pollutant since 2001, and air pollution type has changed from coal smoke pollution to mixed mode pollution of coal smoke and motor vehicle. The mitigation of air pollution in Qingdao City could be attributed to the implementation of industrial waste gas management by the governments of Qingdao City. [Conclusion] The study could provide theoretical foundations for the establishment of environmental policies in Qingdao City.

Optimal harvesting of a fuzzy water hyacinth-fish model with Kuznets curve effect

In this paper,we consider the effects of environmental perturbations such as the variations of temperature and climate on the growth of water hyacinth and fish species,as well as the economic and application values of these two species.We first present a triangular fuzzy water hyacinth-fish ecological model with Kuznets curve effect and linear harvesting.Then,we discuss the existence of the equilibria and their stability.It is then followed by analyzing the existence of bionomic equilibrium and determining the optimal harvesting policy via Pontryagin's Maximum Principle.Finally,numerical simulations are performed to validate the theoretical results.Our research indicates that fuzzy parameters may affect the optimal harvesting strategy.

Opportunity and shift of nitrogen use in China

It is never an easy task for China to feed 1.4 billion people with only 7%of the world's arable land.With nearly 30%of the world's nitrogen(N)fertilizer applied,China achieves high crop yields while facing N pollution result-ing from excessive N input.Here,we calculate the farmland N budget on the national and regional scales.The N use efficiency(NUE)in China increased by 28.0%during 2005-2018.This improvement is due to the reduction in fertilization and the improvement of crop management.The fragmented farmland is changing to large-scale farmland with the increase in cultivated land area per rural population and the development of agricultural mech-anization.This opportunity brings more possibilities for precision farmland management,thus further improving NUE.The goal of an NUE of 0.6 may be achieved in the 2040s based on the current development trend.This striking N use shift in China has important implications for other developing countries.

Analysis of the Factors Influencing Urban Size on Air Concentrations of Particulate Matter PM_(2.5)and PM_(10)in China

In the construction of resilient cities,regional air pollution prevention plays a pivotal role.Building on the previous research experience,the relationship between air pollution concentration and urban size exhibits a sublinear allometric growth pattern.To identify effective strategies for mitigating particulate matter air pollution,this study quantitatively explored 6 variables influencing urbanization in China’s cities and established an allometry model.Empirical analysis was conducted using data from 293 prefecturelevel cities and 1,827 county-level cities to examine the relationship between annual concentrations of fine particulate matter PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) in the atmosphere.①The findings of this study provided partial validation for the Kuznets curve and demonstrated a reverse‘U’-shaped association between urbanization and levels of PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) pollution.②By partitioning the Hu Huanyong line,this study identified the spatial distribution pattern of PM_(2.5) and PM_(10).In central and western regions,as urban size expands,inhalable particle concentrations tended to increase further;whereas in the southeast region,inhalable particle concentrations gradually decreased and stabilized after a certain threshold of urban scale expansion was reached.Among the factors influencing urban size,green coverage within built-up areas exerted the most significant impact on both PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) concentrations,followed by the extent of built-up areas and the scale of secondary industries.This study presented an effective strategy for reconciling conflicts between urban expansion and air pollution management,while concurrently promoting resilient cities characterized by high levels of modernization and superior quality.

Has China-ASEAN Trade opening increased China’ s carbon emissions?

This study uses carbon emission data at the provincial level in China between 1998-2018 and the proportion of the total import and export trade between provinces and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN)in GDP to measure the level of China-ASEAN trade openness.It examines the impact of China ASEAN trade openness on carbon emissions and its transmission mechanism,and selects the RMB/USD exchange rate as an instrumental variable to address the endogeneity of China-ASEAN trade openness variables.The impact of China-ASEAN trade openness on China’s environment is estimated within a two-stage least squares framework.The results show that trade openness between China and ASEAN positively impacts China’s environment and can facilitate carbon emission reduction.The scale,structural,and technology effects brought by China-ASEAN trade liberalization jointly promote China’s carbon dioxide emission reduction.An inverted“U”relationship is found between economic growth and environmental quality in China,and some provinces and municipalities have now crossed the inflection point of the curve,in which carbon emi ssions decrease with an increase in per capita wealth.

Nexus between CO2 Emissions and Economic Growth, Industrial Production, and Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam: Symmetric ARDL Approach

Vietnam’s economy has been developing strongly in recent years;however, it is necessary to examine the impact of its economic activities on environmental quality. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between CO2 emissions and economic growth, industrial production, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam. The ARDL estimation was used to process the dataset from World Bank. Results showed that economic growth, industrial production, and FDI have an impact on CO2 emissions in the long run in Vietnam. Granger Causality test also indicated that there is a causal relationship between economic growth, industrial production, and CO2 emissions in Vietnam from 1990 to 2018, at 5% statistical significance level. Proposed solutions to reduce CO2 emissions but still promote economic growth toward the green growth orientation and zero carbon target attainment are as follows: 1) reduce the use of fossil energy in industrial manufacturing and replace it by renewable energy sources;2) use modern technology for all production sectors in economy;and 3) develop a legal framework for FDI projects selection and choose foreign investors with modern and low carbon emission technology.

The Environmental Impacts of Informal Economies in China: Inverted U-shaped Relationship and Regional Variances

This paper aims to the debate on the nexus between informal economies and the environment by investigating the long-term dynamic impacts of China’s informal economies on pollution and considering regional differences in informal economies’ pollution.This paper uses the Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes(MIMIC) model to estimate the size of informal economies and employs econometric models to examine their relationships to pollution based on provincial-level panel data from 2000 to 2017. The results indicate that informal economies’ effects on environmental pollution are not purely positive or negative. Rather, our model indicates that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between informal economies and pollution in the long run in China;this means that the level of environmental pollution increases at first and then decreases with the growth of informal economies. Further analysis shows that while this inverted, U-shaped relationship is significant in different regions of China, it is affected by different environmental impact factors. The paper concludes by discussing the policy implications for environmental protection and sustainable development.

Nexus between selected macroeconomic variables and carbon emission in Kenya

Agriculture is not only influenced by climate change,but it is also one of the significant contributors of CO_(2) emission.Understanding CO_(2) emission and macroeconomic variables is critical to solving the challenges and threats faced by Kenya’s agriculture and environment.This study used the Environmental Kuznets Curve(EKC)hypothesis and the autoregressive distribution lag model(ADLM)to analyze the relationships of CO_(2) emission with agricultural output,government direct investment,trade openness,and inflation rate in Kenya from 1983 to 2019.The study found that there exists a positive(direct)relationship between CO_(2) emission and foreign direct investment in the long run in Kenya.Additionally,CO_(2) emission and trade openness have a negative(indirect)and statistically significant relationship after the error correction term adjustment in the long run.Moreover,the relationship between CO_(2) emission and agricultural output is positive(direct)and statistically significant in the long run.There is a positive(direct)and statistically insignificant relationship between CO_(2) emission and inflation rate in the short run.Notably,the EKC hypothesis indicated that the Kenya’s economy is still on the environmental degradation trade-off through the gradual increase of both CO_(2) emission and agricultural output.Our results are important to Kenya’s economy because the derived insights will assist in relevant departments to formulate sustainable strategies to minimize environmental degradation.

The effects of PM_(2.5)concentration on residents'health from the perspective of spatial economics

Ambient air quality is an important part of the ecological environment.Based on panel data from 192 countries for the period 2010–2016,our study applies spatial geography elements in a spatial panel model to analyze whether PM_(2.5)harms residents'health.We find a positive correlation between PM_(2.5)concentration and the prevalence of tuberculosis.Empirical testing shows that if residents live in environments with high PM_(2.5)concentrations for an extended period,it increases their probability of contracting tuberculosis.PM_(2.5)concentration and economic growth have an environmental Kuznets curve(EKC)relationship.Furthermore,PM_(2.5)concentration and prevalence of tuberculosis in different countries have a positive spatial correlation during the study period.The values of PM_(2.5)concentration in adjacent areas are similar,because PM_(2.5)can cross borders through airflow and as economic development levels in adjacent regions are similar.When regulating haze pollution,we should adopt regional joint governance,consider the specific characteristics of different regions,and coordinate these regulations with environmental protection policies to realize the goal of“lucid waters and lush mountains.”

Correlation Analysis between Economic Growth and Environmental Quality

With the rapid development of the economy,China’s environment has been damaged severely,which has attracted much attention from scholars and the local government.The concept of green development has been an underlying trend since 2012,and it is of great significance to explore the relationship between economic growth and environmental quality.Huzhou is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Zhejiang Province,and it is one of the 27 cities in the central area of the Yangtze River Delta.In recent years,this city develops well not only in economic development but also in maintaining a green environment.In the paper,the back propagation neural network is used to evaluate the local environmental quality.Meanwhile,the panel model is exploited to analyze the relationship between economic growth and environmental quality.All the data presented in the paper range from the year 2008 to 2018.Theoretical analysis indicates that the evaluation value of environmental quality,the emissions of industrial SO2,and waste water exhibit an inverted U-shaped relationship with economic growth.As for the regression results,the inflection point of income in the environmental Kuznets curve of the model which takes the evaluation value of the environmental quality as a dependent variable is higher than that of the model which takes the SO2 emission as an independent variable.The research result would help the local government to take appropriate countermeasures to improve the environment and economy.

Study on the Decoupling Indicators between Economic Development and Environmental Pollution

Decoupling theory and application are introduced firstly, and then the status and prospect of decoupling relation between environmental pollution and economic growth are analyzed. Finally, choice criteria and connotation of decoupling indicators are studied.

Research Progress on the Relationship between Air Pollution and Socio-economic Growth in China

Air pollution is a hot issue studied by scholars all over the world.Academic circles generally believe that socio-economic factors such as extensive economic growth,unbalanced proportion of industrial structure and unreasonable energy consumption structure are the main"culprits"of serious air pollution in China.Therefore,the relationship between air pollution and socio-economic growth has very important theoretical and practical significance for air pollution prevention and control and promoting the sustainable and healthy development of cities.Through literature research and summary methods,this paper studies the severity and harmfulness of air pollution in China,and deeply studies the research progress of socio-economic influencing factors of air pollution,environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis of air pollution,decoupling relationship between air pollution and socio-economic growth,so as to provide useful reference for the prevention and control of air pollution.

Piketty’s Capital-Income Theory Reconsidered for a Small Open Economy with Increasing Savings Rate

Since Piketty offered a new view of capital/income ratio, numerous attempts have been made to examine the relationship between return on capital, economic growth and the capital/income ratio. This paper attempts to shed new light on this field. More precisely, following recent literatures that pay attention to dynamics of external balance sheets of countries, we examine if Piketty’s results for large countries are robust for a country that takes the world rate of return on capital as given and whose savings rate increases gradually from negative value. It is revealed that for such a country, (1) Kuznets curve is drawn and (2) capital/income ratio decreases in accordance with a rise in savings rate and return on capital.

Is economic fitness helpful in achieving environmental sustainability in BRICS economies?A risk exposure perspective

A country’s ability to create complex goods and diversify its lines of products is essential for addressing all types of vulnerabilities.Quantifying a country’s vulnerability to extreme climatic events,such as droughts,superstorms,and other natural disasters,and its capacity for successful adaption,is an essential global need that has been ignored.This study examines the role of economic fitness(EF)in addressing climate change risk ex‐posure in BRICS countries in the context of the environmental Kuznets curve using panel data from 1995 to 2015.Panel threshold methodology is employed to ascertain the nonlinear relationship between EF and climate change risk exposure(i.e.,Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Country Index(ND-GAIN)).In addition,empirical associations were estimated using panel-corrected standard errors,Driscoll-Kraay standard errors,and feasible generalized least squares estimation techniques.These findings demonstrated an inverted N shaped link between EF and ND-GAIN.Moreover,even after controlling for significant ND-GAIN influencing variables such as gross domestic product per capita,financial development,and urbanization,our robustness checks revealed significant and consistent findings.

Evolution in disparity of PM_(2.5)pollution in China

The spatial disparity of air pollutants is one of the key influential factors for environmental inequality.We quantitatively evaluated the evolution of PM_(2.5)spatial disparity in China during 2013–2020,and investigated the associations between PM_(2.5)spatial disparity and economic indicators.Differences in PM_(2.5)between more-and less-polluted cities declined over time,suggesting decreased absolute disparity.However,the more polluted cities in 2013 remained so in 2017 and 2020,and vice versa,indicating persistent relative disparity.PM_(2.5)pollution levels increased with higher GDP per capita in less-developed areas of China,but such negative effects weakened over time,while economic development tended to promote cleaner air in developed areas of China.Therefore,policies to improve air quality and promote economic development simultaneously are needed in China to reduce the disparity of air pollution and promote all people to enjoy environmental equality.

Air Pollution, Environmental Regulations and Economic Growth——Estimation of Simultaneous Equations Based on Panel Data of Prefecture-Level Cities

The article selects the panel data of 289 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2003 to 2017, establishes simultaneous equations and uses the 3 SLS estimation method to study the relationship between air pollution and economic growth. On the whole, industrial sulfur dioxide and soot emissions have an inverted U-shaped relationship with per capita GDP, and the increase in sulfur dioxide emissions has played a significant role in hindering economic growth. From a regional perspective, the sulfur dioxide emissions in the eastern and western regions conform to the environmental Kuznets curve, and the per capita GDP at the turning point in the western region is significantly lower than the overall national level. The smoke and dust emissions in the eastern, central and western regions all conform to the environmental Kuznets curve, while the per capita GDP at the turning point in the western region is significantly lower than that in the eastern and central regions. In the eastern region, both sulfur dioxide and smoke and dust emissions significantly hinder economic growth,and this hindrance is mainly caused by the spatial transfer of labor. Through further analysis, it is found that environmental regulations can significantly suppress the negative impact of air pollution on economic growth. Finally, the article puts forward some suggestions, such as environmental governance according to local conditions and strengthening environmental regulations.