Spatiotemporal characteristics of cultivated land use eco-efficiency and its influencing factors in China from 2000 to 2020

Improving cultivated land use eco-efficiency(CLUE)can effectively promote agricultural sustainability,particularly in developing countries where CLUE is generally low.This study used provincial-level data from China to evaluate the spatiotemporal evolution of CLUE from 2000 to 2020 and identified the influencing factors of CLUE by using a panel Tobit model.In addition,given the undesirable outputs of agricultural production,we incorporated carbon emissions and nonpoint source pollution into the global benchmark-undesirable output-super efficiency-slacks-based measure(GB-US-SBM)model,which combines global benchmark technology,undesirable output,super efficiency,and slacks-based measure.The results indicated that there was an upward trend in CLUE in China from 2000 to 2020,with an increase rate of 2.62%.The temporal evolution of CLUE in China could be classified into three distinct stages:a period of fluctuating decrease(2000-2007),a phase of gradual increase(2008-2014),and a period of rapid growth(2015-2020).The major grain-producing areas(MPAs)had a lower CLUE than their counterparts,namely,non-major grain-production areas(non-MPAs).The spatial agglomeration effect followed a northeast-southwest strip distribution;and the movement path of barycentre revealed a"P"shape,with Luoyang City,Henan Province,as the centre.In terms of influencing factors of CLUE,investment in science and technology played the most vital role in improving CLUE,while irrigation index had the most negative effect.It should be noted that these two influencing factors had different impacts on MPAs and non-MPAs.Therefore,relevant departments should formulate policies to enhance the level of science and technology,improve irrigation condition,and promote sustainable utilization of cultivated land.

Eco-efficiency evaluation of symbiotic network for environmental governance PPP projects

Under the goal of "double carbon " strategy,the government and enterprises collaborate to form an efficient environmental governance symbiosis network to reduce pollution and carbon.Based on the panel data of 30 provinces,the static and dynamic eco-efficiency of the symbiotic network of environmental governance PPP projects are measured by using the SBM model and Malmquist index considering the super-efficiency of non-expected output.The results show that:(1) 8 provinces,including Hebei,have efficiency values greater than 1;11 provinces,including Liaoning,have organizational technology and management levels conducive to efficiency improvement,and 12 provinces,including Zhejiang,are closest to optimal scale efficiency.(2) Redundancy of energy conservation and environmental protection expenditures,urban environmental infrastructure construction investment and new product development projects,insufficient waste gas treatment capacity,environmental emergencies and carbon emission redundancy are all significant factors affecting eco-efficiency.(3) The dynamic efficiency of 8 provinces,including Fujian,shows a decreasing trend,and the Malmquist index and its decomposition indicate that the utilization rate of environmental governance technology should be improved and environmental resources should be allocated rationally.

Assessing agricultural eco-efficiency in Chongqing,2004-2019

Agricultural eco-efficiency is an important indicator to measure the sustainable development and high-quality development of agriculture.Based on the agricultural input-output data of 37 districts(counties)in Chongqing from 2004 to 2019,this paper uses the static SBM model and the DDF-BML index method to calculate the agricultural eco-efficiency of each district and county in Chongqing and conduct a comparative analysis.The comprehensive analysis of static and dynamic calculation results shows that the agricultural eco-efficiency of Chongqing is low,the agricultural input-output efficiency of various districts and counties is insufficient,and slack variables are common,so the ability of agricultural sustainable development still needs to be improved.The main sources of agricultural eco-efficiency are the progress of agricultural green technology and the efficiency of agricultural green technology.However,as far as the actual situation of Chongqing is concerned,the efficiency of agricultural green technology shows a downward trend,which has an inhibitory effect on the improvement of agricultural eco-efficiency.Therefore,in the process of agricultural ecological development in the future,Chongqing will focus on improving the efficiency of agricultural green technology as a starting point,implement agricultural technology innovation and promotion,improve the level of farmers’science and technology and culture,and achieve"technology to the countryside,demonstration to households,and application to the country."At the same time,it is necessary to further improve the construction of agricultural and rural infrastructure,and promote the"outward migration"of frontier technologies in agricultural production to radiate agricultural development in surrounding districts and counties.

Comparative Analysis on Eco-Efficiency of Arable Land Ecological Footprint in Hubei

This paper uses the ecological footprint model to make comparison of the eco-efficiency of arable land ecological footprint in different years in Hubei Province, and makes comparison of that in Hubei and some countries. The results indicate that, since 1965, the eco-efficiency of arable land ecological footprint in Hubei has been improved year by year. However, the efficiency of arable land ecological footprint, compared with some other areas in the world, is much lower. In 1965, average eco-efficiency of world arable land ecological footprint is 3 421 US dollar/hm^2 while that of Hubei Province is 134 US dollar/hm^2, about 1/26 of the world＇s average level. The eco-efficiency of arable land ecological footprint for 2003 in Hubei Province, however, has become about 1/9 of the world＇s average level for the same year. Finally the author puts forward the ways to raise the eco-efficiency of arable land ecological footprint.

Research on Indicator System of Regional Eco-efficiency:A Case Study of Chengyang District

Eco-efficiency is a valuable tool for managing and solving issues involving resource consumption and pollution emission in current production processes.Despite the popularity of the term"eco-efficiency"in business,limited attention has been paid to measuring and reporting regional eco-efficiency for local government policy makers.Based on the concept and method of eco-efficiency,an indicator system of regional eco-efficiency is established in this study.The indicator system comprises 22 indicators,which are divided in to three categories including socio-economic development,resources consumption, environmental pressure.As a promising statistical technique, principle component analysis is used to set the weight of indicators which attempts to calculate the eco-efficiency indices of Qingdao's Chengyang District.The results show that the eco-efficiency of Chengyang District has clearly improved 35.1% with small fluctuation from 1995 to 2003.Socio-economic development index and resources consumption index also represent obvious increasing trends.The correlation coefficient between soci-economic development index and resources consumption index is 0.979,which means the social progress and economic growth of Chengyang District depend on an extravagant consumption of resources.The environmental pressure index increased slowly before 1997 and declined gradually after 1997,due to more attention being paid to environmental protection by local government in recent years.Chengyang District still keeps the traditional economic development mode with a high consumption and high production,so the emphases of future development should put on improving the improving the efficient use of natural resources and promoting environmental management sustainability.The results show that the indicators system of regional eco-efficiency is a promising method to quantitatively evaluate resources and environmental efficiency and provide an effective decision-making support for local governments.

Agricultural Eco-efficiency Evaluation in Anhui Province: An Empirical Analysis Based on DEA Method

According to the eco-efficiency theory, combined with agricultural production characteristics, I point out the environmental impact and substance energy consumption characteristics of agricultural production. Based on this, I establish the eco-efficiency evaluation indicator system for agricultural production, and conduct a comprehensive analysis on the agricultural eco-efficiency of 17 prefecture-level cities in Anhui Province, using data envelopment analysis method.

Spatio-temporal Evolution of the Agricultural Eco-efficiency Network and Its Multidimensional Proximity Analysis in China

As a traditional agricultural country,China has always prioritized agricultural development,and has increasingly focused on green and sustainable agricultural development.Based on the inter-provincial panel data for China from 1997 to 2019,this study divided these data into five periods according to the Five-Year Plan(FYP)of China,measured the agricultural eco-efficiency(AEE)values using the Super-SBM model,and then determined the spatial association network of the inter-provincial AEE of China using the improved gravity model.Finally,social network analysis(SNA)was used to further analyze the evolution process of AEE,and we de-veloped a framework of how multidimensional proximity,which includes geographical,economic,technological,cognitive,and institutional proximity,made an influence on the formation of AEE spatial relation network.The findings indicated that:1)in 1997−2019,the AEE in China was present in some spatial and temporal differences characteristics at the provincial scale,and we specifically found that national macro-regulation and policy incentives played a positive role in the long-term development of AEE.2)The spatial correlation of AEE development among provincial regions were becoming closer and exhibits obvious spatial correlation and spillover effects.The evolution of the AEE network has clearly observable trends of hierarchization and aggregation,and the complexity of the correlation network continues to increase and exhibits spatial clustering characteristics that are dense in the east and sparse in the west.The network structure has changed from monocentric radiation to a multicentric network,and network nodes select the more advantageous nodes with which to connect.3)Finally,the geographical proximity had a significant negative effect;the economic,technological,and institutional proximities were all observed to contribute to the AEE network formation,and cognitive proximity did not significantly influence this network formation.

Analysis of Agricultural Eco-Efficiency and Influencing Factors in Henan Province

In order to improve the agricultural eco-efficiency and promote the sustainable development of agriculture in Henan Province, China, based on the footprint theory, the super-efficiency SBM model is used to scientifically calculate and analyze the agricultural eco-efficiency in Henan Province. On this basis, the influencing factors of agricultural eco-efficiency in Henan Province are quantitatively analyzed by using the grey incidence analysis model. The results show that unilaterally considering one of grey water footprints and carbon footprints will overestimate or underestimate the agricultural eco-efficiency of Henan Province in different degrees in different time periods, and the agricultural eco-efficiency obtained by comprehensively considering grey water footprint and carbon footprint (GWCAEE) is more in line with the reality of agricultural development in Henan Province. In 2000-2004, GWCAEE in Henan Province was better. During 2005-2014, GWCAEE in Henan Province showed a fluctuating decline and continued to be in an inefficient state. From 2015 to 2019, GWCAEE of Henan Province gradually increased, and it became effective in 2019. In recent years, GWCAEE has developed well. Through the grey incidence analysis between 12 influencing factors including endogenous factors and exogenous factors and GWCAEE, it is found that the six leading factors of GWCAEE in Henan Province are agricultural structure, financial input for agriculture, number of agricultural employees, crop sown area, consumption of chemical pesticide, consumption of agricultural diesel oil. According to the above research conclusions, suggestions for improving agricultural eco-efficiency in Henan Province are put forward.

Impact of eco-efficiency compensation for public welfare forests on the incomes of farmers

The strategy of rural revitalization puts ecology and economic development at the same level,in order to explore whether the eco-efficiency compensation policy for public welfare forests can achieve a“win-win”for both ecology and people livelihood.This study probed into the consideration of income structure and used OLS analysis to conduct an empirical analysis on a sample of 443 households in Shaanxi Province.It was found that the eco-efficiency compensation for public welfare forests had not only a significantly positive effect on the forestry income and the total income of farm households,but also had a constructive influence on the non-forestry income,though smaller and less significant,which was closely attributed to the original income structures of these farm households.In addition,personal and household characteristics such as age,educational level and labor force size played decisive roles to nonforestry income and total income of farm households as well.

Spatial-temporal Evolution and Its Influencing Factors of Tourism Eco-efficiency in China

Eco-efficiency is an invaluable indicator for the measurement of the relationship between production activities and environmental depletion.This study measures the tourism eco-efficiency of 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2020 based on the super-efficiency SBM model,and explores its spatial-temporal evolution characteristics using the kernel density function,standard deviation ellipse,and center of gravity model.Then,the influencing factors of the tourism eco-efficiency in China are analyzed by Tobit regression model.The results show that the tourism eco-efficiency of China is generally fluctuating upwards,but has not yet reached the maximum production possibility frontier.The kernel density curve shows a unimodal-bimodal-unimodal pattern,while the inter-provincial differences have been decreasing and becoming more balanced.The center of gravity of tourism eco-efficiency is located at the junction of Henan and Hubei province and generally moves to the south(slightly to the southwest).Meanwhile,it is revealed that the level of economic development and the tourism eco-efficiency has a significant inverted U-shaped relationship.The level of economic openness,traffic conditions,and tourism eco-efficiency is positively correlated.The environmental regulations and industrial structure have a negative but limited impact on tourism eco-efficiency.Finally,recommendations and suggestions for policy formulation to promote quality and sustainable development of the tourism industry are put forward,such as increasing investment in ecological protection and governance in tourism development,improving capacity-building in allocating green and low-carbon technologies and resources,strengthening tourism infrastructure construction,and enhancing environmental governance systems and mechanisms.

Regional eco-efficiency evaluation and spatial pattern analysis of the Yangtze River Economic Zone

The environmental ecology of the Yangtze River Economic Zone(YREZ)faces ecological function decline,deterioration and degradation under intense human activities,long-term development and utilization and its economy has developed rapidly over recent decades.Eco-efficiency is considered as a measure of coordinated development of economy,resources,environment and ecology,and is currently considered a very important issue.In this paper,based on the slack-based measure and data envelope analysis model,we take 129 prefecture-level cities of the YREZ as the study unit and measure the eco-efficiency of the YREZ in 2000,2005,2010 and 2015,which considers undesired output.The evaluation of the status quo of the regional eco-efficiency development was carried out at provincial,prefectural and city scales.The spatial autocorrelation test model and standard deviation ellipse were used to analyze the spatially distributed characteristics and the evolutionary regularity of eco-efficiency.Our study suggested that the eco-efficiency value varied significantly at different spatiotemporal scales and the overall distribution presented an"N-shaped"pattern,the value is the largest downstream and the smallest upstream.Regional eco-efficiency presented certain volatility in growth and a clear spatial positive agglomeration trend from 2000 to 2015.The spatial distribution of each agglomeration area was also significantly different,forming some high-high agglomeration areas at the center of the shaft with Shanghai and surrounding cities,and some low-low agglomeration areas at the center with middle reaches and upstream cities.The low-high over-aggregation and high-low polarization clusters were fewer.At the same time,with the change of the research period,the degree of positive agglomeration became increasingly pronounced and the eco-efficiency gap of the neighborhoodunit reduced.The regional eco-efficiency value of the YREZ presented a spatial distribution pattern in the northeast-southwest axis and the evolutionary pattern of the regional eco-efficiency similarly showed a northeast-southwest orientation.

An Integrated DEA Model Allowing Decomposition of Eco-Efficiency:A Case Study of China

A common feature of previous studies about the application of data envelopment analysis(DEA) to determine environmental and economic efficiencies is that the two were analyzed in separate models or frameworks. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the economic efficiency and environmental efficiency with a single model. This paper proposes an integrated DEA model, based on a modification of the directional distance function, which allows us to decompose the eco-efficiency(EE) into the economic efficiency(ECE) and environmental efficiency(ENE). The ECE characterizes the ability of gaining economic benefits while the ENE characterizes the ability to control pollutant emissions in production activities. Identification of ECE and ENE can help decision makers of different regions detect what kind of factor(economic inefficiency or environmental inefficiency) is the main source of eco-inefficiency. This can help decision makers more targeted to improve EE. To illustrate the feasibility of our approach, a case study of 30 regions in China is presented. The empirical results show that almost all regions have very high economic efficiencies. The environmental inefficiency is the main source of eco-inefficiency. The differences of environmental efficiencies lead to the differences of eco-efficiencies in the east, central and west areas, while the economic efficiencies do not have significant differences among these areas. The economic efficiencies showed an opposite "V" shape and the environmental efficiencies showed a decreasing trend during the period 2010–2014.

ndustrial eco-efficiency and its spatial-temporal differentiation in China

The aim of this paper is to study the spatialtemporal differentiation of industrial eco-efficiency in China. Using methods based on the data envelopment analysis （DEA） model and exploratory spatial data analysis （ESDA） and data from 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2008 of 30 provinces in China, the spatial-temporal pattern changes in industrial eco-efficiency are discussed. The results show that： first, the patterns of industrial eco-efficiency are dominated by clustering of relatively low efficiency provinces; second, spatial relationships between the industrial eco-efficiencies of different provinces changed slightly throughout the period and the provinces persistently exhibit spatial concentration of relatively low industrial eco-efficiency; finally, there is an obvious trend in the polarization of industrial eco-efficiency, i.e., the higher level spatial units are concentrated in eastern China, and the lower level spatial units are mainly in western and central China. （ESDA）

Quantification of energy related industrial eco-efficiency of China

Improving eco-efficiency is propitious for saving resources and reducing emissions,and has become a popular route to sustainable development.We define two energy-related eco-efficiencies:energy efficiency(ENE)and greenhouse gas(GHG)emission-related eco-efficiency(GEE)using energy consumption and the associated GHG emissions as the environmental impacts.Using statistical data,we analyze China’s energy consumption and GHG emissions by industrial subsystem and sector,and estimate the ENE and GEE values for China in 2007 as 4.871×10^(7)US·/PJ and 4.26×10^(8)US$/TgCO_(2)eq,respectively.Industry is the primary contributing subsystem of China’s economy,contributing 45.2%to the total economic production,using 79.6%of the energy consumed,and generating 91.4%of the total GHG emissions.We distinguish the individual contributions of the 39 industrial sectors to the national economy,overall energy consumption,and GHG emissions,and estimate their energyrelated eco-efficiencies.The results show that although ferrous metal production contributes only 3.5%to the national industrial economy,it consumes the most industrial energy(20%of total),contributes 16%to the total industrial global warming potential(GWP),and ranks third in GHG emissions.The power and heat sector ranks first in GHG emissions and contributes one-third of the total industrial GWP,although it only consumes about 8%of total industrial energy and,like ferrous metal production,contributes 3.5%to the national economy.The ENE of the ferrous metal and power and heat sectors are only 8 and 2.1×10^(7)US$/PJ,while the GEE for these two sectors are 9 and 4×10^(4)US$/GgCO_(2)eq,respectively;these are nearly the lowest ENE and GEE values among all 39 industry sectors.Finally,we discuss the possibility of ecoefficiency improvement through a comparison with other countries.

Optimization of remanufacturing process routes oriented toward eco-efficiency

Remanufacturing route optimization is crucial in remanufacturing production because it exerts a considerable impact on the eco-efficiency(i.e.,the best link between economic and environmental benefits)of remanufacturing.Therefore,an optimization model for remanufacturing process routes oriented toward eco-efficiency is proposed.In this model,fault tree analysis is used to extract the characteristic factors of used products.The ICAM definition method is utilized to design alternative remanufacturing process routes for the used products.Afterward,an eco-efficiency objective function model is established,and simulated annealing(SA)particle swarm optimization(PSO)is applied to select the manufacturing process route with the best eco-efficiency.The proposed model is then applied to the remanufacturing of a used helical cylindrical gear,and optimization of the remanufacturing process route is realized by MATLAB programming.The proposed model’s feasibility is verified by comparing the model’s performance with that of standard SA and PSO.

Research and Experience Reference on China’s Implementation of Low Carbon Strategy

Economic development has brought about global greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn has brought about global climate change. This research paper aims to compare the strengths and weaknesses that China has demonstrated in the implementation of its low-carbon city strategy and to summarise the valuable experience that China can provide to the world in the implementation of its low-carbon city strategy. This essay analyses in depth the advantages that China has shown in the areas of renewable energy use and government mechanisms, as well as the shortcomings that it has shown in the areas of eco-efficiency industrial structure and capacity upgrading. Then, the paper summarises the successful experiences of the Chinese government in the establishment of renewable energy use and governmental mechanisms, such as the local government’s ability to coordinate multiple sectors (industrial sector, energy sector, etc.) and the implementation of responsibilities. In comparison, the paper also further discusses that China’s implementation of a low-carbon strategy in the future may have more eco-efficiency, industrial structure and capacity upgrading.

The Use of Organic Waste as an Eco-Efficient Energy Source in Ghana

The problem of municipal solid waste (MSW) management has been an issue of global concern in recent times and has engaged governments and local authorities in their quest to manage solid waste in a sustained manner. One proposition which has the potential of solving three problems at the same time is the use of the biodegradable component of MSW as a source of energy to augment energy supply. This research therefore assessed the use of the organic fraction of MSW as an eco-efficient energy source in Ghana. A study of Ghana’s solid waste profile was undertaken and the fraction of biodegradable component was found to be approximately 60%, with a heating value of 17 MJ/kg and a moisture content of 50%. Moreover, it was established that 0.5 kg of solid waste is generated daily by each Ghanaian, meaning that about 5610 tons of the organic fraction could be made available every day to generate energy to the national grid. It was also established that waste disposal in Ghana is largely by way of open dumping as primary collection of waste from households in Ghana is limited to high-income communities which represent only 11% of the population, whereas secondary collection from transfer points to the disposal facilities is inefficient. With representative power output of 1.66 MWh/tonne a total of 3320 GWh of energy can be produced annually from the 4 proposed plants, generating net revenue of about $111,600,000. As an optimizing step, a waste incineration scheme was suggested in which the off-gases produced from organic waste combustion could be used to produce electrical power with steam in a multi-stage heat exchanger-steam turbine configuration, and the off gases again used for pre-drying of the organic waste in a cycle. A state-of-the art waste incineration technology was used as a model and adapted to suit Ghana’s tropical conditions. MSW combustion releases less CO2 for the same power output (837 Ib/MWh) than any of the other conventional fuels do, and is therefore a good fuel for the fight against climate change.

Towards an Eco-Efficient Development Strategy that Minimises the Risks Associated with the Location of Gas Stations in Human Settlements: A Fuzzy PROMETHEE Method

Evaluating real world situations in risky environments based on various qualitative/quantitative criteria in order to suggest a strategy/policy among available options is one of the critical challenges in incident management. Such is the case when considering an eco-efficient development strategy that can minimize the risk associated with the location of gas stations in human settlements. Taking the Douala city of Cameroon as an example, four actions were evaluated, including the options of relocating the gas stations, putting in place of emergency response plan in gas stations, and relocation of households subject to a group of four criteria. Data were collected via personal communication with decision-makers using a five-point Likert scale. The market values of buildings subject to expropriation were estimated based on order No. 0082/Y. 15.1/MNUH/D of 20 November 1987 of the ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Cameroon. The financial costs incurred in establishing a gas station were an average value obtained from a sample of 80 gas stations randomly selected among those whose locations do not comply with existing regulations. These amounts were obtained from their financial records, while the value of putting in place an emergency action plan was obtained from the current market value of the equipment required. The algorithm of PROMETHEE under the usual criterion function was implemented. The results suggested that putting in place an emergency response plan could minimize relocation costs, maximize profits/welfare, and maximize environmental quality, and minimize social impacts, and was therefore considered as the most preferred alternative. Sensitivity analyses of results further confirmed that implementation of emergency response plan is the most preferred alternative.

Evaluation and Analysis of Ecological Efficiency from the Perspective of Ecological Civilization:A Case Study of Hubei Province

Nowadays,Hubei Province pays more attention to sustainable development with the purpose of building green province. Therefore,in the construction process of ecological civilization in Hubei Province,how to get the optimal economic output with minimum resource consumption and minor environment damage is one of the most urgent problems. Based on the panel data of 12 prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province from 2005 to 2014,the Malmquist Productivity Index( MPI) was used to calculate the eco-efficiency of 12 prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province. According to the analyzed results,it was found that there was a downward trend of ecological efficiency in Hubei Province during the study period. As for the overall environmental production situation of the whole province in this period,results showed that environmental production efficiency was improved while the level of environmental production technology has decreased greatly. This phenomenon maybe result from different speed,because the speed of technical efficiency improvement was less than the extent of technology decline,which finally led that the Hubei Province's environmental productivity declined.

Utilization of Agro-Industrial Residues and Municipal Waste of Plant Origin for Cellulosic Ethanol Production

Today’s search for alternative sources of energy to reduce the use of fossil fuels is motivated by environmental, socioeconomic and political reasons. The use of agro-industrial and municipal wastes of plant origin for ethanol production appears to be the best option to solve the dilemma of using food sources to produce biofuels, since it adds value to these wastes in eco-efficient processes. This paper highlights the potential of agro-industrial and municipal wastes for cellulosic ethanol production.