Applying the slacks-based measure （SBM）-Tobit two-stage model, this paper analyzes energy efficiency in eastern China. First, the SBM model featured in taking non- desired output in calculation was employed to evalu...Applying the slacks-based measure （SBM）-Tobit two-stage model, this paper analyzes energy efficiency in eastern China. First, the SBM model featured in taking non- desired output in calculation was employed to evaluate the energy efficiency in eastern China from 1995 to 2010. The results show that Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangdong have the highest energy efficiency while Hebei has the lowest. Next, we used the panel Tobit model to perform a regression on factors affecting energy efficiency. Our results show that optimizing industrial structure, improving energy structure and enhancing the level of economic reform can contribute to improving energy efficiency. Government influence and technological progress, on the other hand, affect energy efficiency insignificantly. The influence of socio-economic development on the energy efficiency goes from negative to positive, which adheres to the Kuznets curve hypothesis. Our findings are that the socio-economic development in eastern China has not yet passed the ＂turning point of the Kuznets curve ＂.展开更多
In this research,the Factor Analysis model of measuring provincial low carbon development in China has been constructed.Based on data from 30 provinces,an empirical study was developed to measure comprehensive low car...In this research,the Factor Analysis model of measuring provincial low carbon development in China has been constructed.Based on data from 30 provinces,an empirical study was developed to measure comprehensive low carbon development using the Factor Analysis model(Principal Components method and Normalized Varimax Rotation).The results reveal that the provincial marks of low carbon development are generally low and only nine provinces have high marks(more than 0.80).The results also show significant regional disparity.The provincial marks of the eastern region are higher than both the middle and western provinces of China's Mainland.All of the provinces with high marks(more than 0.90) are located in the eastern region,and those with the lowest marks(0.60) are located in the middle region.Furthermore,regional disparity in low carbon development follows the same pattern as economic development in China.Finally,some suggestions for decision-makers are presented.展开更多
Human activities are strongly modifying the global nitrogen (N) cycle through increasing input, N species diversity, and pool size of industrial reactive N (Nr). However, the fluxes, fates and environmental consequenc...Human activities are strongly modifying the global nitrogen (N) cycle through increasing input, N species diversity, and pool size of industrial reactive N (Nr). However, the fluxes, fates and environmental consequences of industrial Nr (excluding synthesized N fertilizer) remain poorly understood and quantified. We report here that industrial Nr flux has increased 13.4-fold over the past 30 years in China, reaching 3.7Tg N (1 Tg=10 12g) in 2008, accounting for over 50% of China's food Nr flux. Socioeconomic development (per capita GDP, urbanization and household size) significantly drives the growth of industrial Nr fluxes. This leads to "hotspots" of industrial Nr, mainly in relatively developed Eastern China. Industrial Nr loss rate during production is only 5%, much lower than that of cropland (50%) and livestock (80%). However, industrial Nr loss is point source pollution, and Nr release in concentrated doses produces serious risk in small regions. The contribution of structural N to total industrial Nr with a lifespan longer than one year (e.g., synthetic fiber, plastic) increased from 20% in 1980 to 70% in 2008. There was about 2.6 Tg N structural industrial Nr accumulated in human settlements in 2008, which could be one ex- planation of an unknown Nr sink of anthropogenic Nr input (mainly Haber-Bosch N fixation). Legacy effects caused by structural N accumulation have long-term consequences for environmental and human health, although structural N delays Nr release and reduces short-term Nr pollution. Industrial Nr use generates new features of modern global N biogeochemistry, such as increasing Nr species diversity, reducing Nr turnover rate. Future dynamics simulation of the earth system should involve industrial Nr. Explicit consideration and accounting of the fluxes and environmental consequences of industrial Nr would provide decision-makers a novel view of regional sustainable development.展开更多
文摘Applying the slacks-based measure （SBM）-Tobit two-stage model, this paper analyzes energy efficiency in eastern China. First, the SBM model featured in taking non- desired output in calculation was employed to evaluate the energy efficiency in eastern China from 1995 to 2010. The results show that Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangdong have the highest energy efficiency while Hebei has the lowest. Next, we used the panel Tobit model to perform a regression on factors affecting energy efficiency. Our results show that optimizing industrial structure, improving energy structure and enhancing the level of economic reform can contribute to improving energy efficiency. Government influence and technological progress, on the other hand, affect energy efficiency insignificantly. The influence of socio-economic development on the energy efficiency goes from negative to positive, which adheres to the Kuznets curve hypothesis. Our findings are that the socio-economic development in eastern China has not yet passed the ＂turning point of the Kuznets curve ＂.
基金supported by Chinese National Science & Technology Board (Grant No. 2009DFB90120)
文摘In this research,the Factor Analysis model of measuring provincial low carbon development in China has been constructed.Based on data from 30 provinces,an empirical study was developed to measure comprehensive low carbon development using the Factor Analysis model(Principal Components method and Normalized Varimax Rotation).The results reveal that the provincial marks of low carbon development are generally low and only nine provinces have high marks(more than 0.80).The results also show significant regional disparity.The provincial marks of the eastern region are higher than both the middle and western provinces of China's Mainland.All of the provinces with high marks(more than 0.90) are located in the eastern region,and those with the lowest marks(0.60) are located in the middle region.Furthermore,regional disparity in low carbon development follows the same pattern as economic development in China.Finally,some suggestions for decision-makers are presented.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41201502 and 31170305)China Postdoctoral Science Special Foundation (Grant No. 2012T50508)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2011M501010)
文摘Human activities are strongly modifying the global nitrogen (N) cycle through increasing input, N species diversity, and pool size of industrial reactive N (Nr). However, the fluxes, fates and environmental consequences of industrial Nr (excluding synthesized N fertilizer) remain poorly understood and quantified. We report here that industrial Nr flux has increased 13.4-fold over the past 30 years in China, reaching 3.7Tg N (1 Tg=10 12g) in 2008, accounting for over 50% of China's food Nr flux. Socioeconomic development (per capita GDP, urbanization and household size) significantly drives the growth of industrial Nr fluxes. This leads to "hotspots" of industrial Nr, mainly in relatively developed Eastern China. Industrial Nr loss rate during production is only 5%, much lower than that of cropland (50%) and livestock (80%). However, industrial Nr loss is point source pollution, and Nr release in concentrated doses produces serious risk in small regions. The contribution of structural N to total industrial Nr with a lifespan longer than one year (e.g., synthetic fiber, plastic) increased from 20% in 1980 to 70% in 2008. There was about 2.6 Tg N structural industrial Nr accumulated in human settlements in 2008, which could be one ex- planation of an unknown Nr sink of anthropogenic Nr input (mainly Haber-Bosch N fixation). Legacy effects caused by structural N accumulation have long-term consequences for environmental and human health, although structural N delays Nr release and reduces short-term Nr pollution. Industrial Nr use generates new features of modern global N biogeochemistry, such as increasing Nr species diversity, reducing Nr turnover rate. Future dynamics simulation of the earth system should involve industrial Nr. Explicit consideration and accounting of the fluxes and environmental consequences of industrial Nr would provide decision-makers a novel view of regional sustainable development.
