School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Aug;30(38):88387-88405. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-28525-6. Epub 2023 Jul 12.
A better reconciliation of haze pollution and economic growth has become the social consensus in China. The development of China's economy and air quality will be significantly impacted by its efforts to create high-speed rail (HSR). Based on panel data from 265 prefecture-level cities in China from 2003 to 2019, this paper investigates how the opening of HSR affects the spatial mismatch of haze pollution and economic growth by using the spatial mismatch index model, multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model, and intermediary effect model. We find that the spatial mismatch in China has an overall decreasing trend. And its spatial agglomeration is dominated by low levels. Further empirical analysis shows that HSR opening can effectively restrain the spatial mismatch. Even after some robustness tests and endogenous treatment, the conclusion is still valid. In addition, population density, FDI, and industrial structure are also explicit factors affecting the spatial mismatch. Second, there is significant heterogeneity in the impact. This is reflected in the fact that HSR opening can suppress the spatial mismatch of service-oriented cities and the eastern region, while other cities and regions have no noticeable effect. Third, spatial transfer of haze pollution (STHP) and balanced development of economic growth (BEG) are two important conduction paths for the opening of HSR to affect the spatial mismatch. Specifically, HSR opening can constrain the spatial mismatch by inhibiting STHP and BEG. Based on the above findings, recommendations related to promoting a better harmony between haze pollution and economic growth are proposed.
在中国，更好地协调雾霾污染和经济增长已成为社会共识。中国经济和空气质量的发展将受到其高铁（HSR）发展的重大影响。本文利用中国 2003 年至 2019 年 265 个地级市的面板数据，通过空间不匹配指数模型、多期差分法（DID）模型和中介效应模型，研究了 HSR 开通如何影响雾霾污染和经济增长的空间不匹配。研究结果表明，中国的空间不匹配总体呈下降趋势，其空间集聚主要以低水平为主。进一步的实证分析表明，HSR 开通可以有效抑制空间不匹配。即使经过一些稳健性测试和内源性处理，结论仍然有效。此外，人口密度、FDI 和产业结构也是影响空间不匹配的明显因素。其次，影响存在显著的异质性。这体现在 HSR 开通可以抑制服务型城市和东部地区的空间不匹配，而其他城市和地区则没有明显的效果。第三，雾霾污染的空间转移（STHP）和经济增长的平衡发展（BEG）是 HSR 开通影响空间不匹配的两个重要传导路径。具体来说，HSR 开通可以通过抑制 STHP 和 BEG 来抑制空间不匹配。基于上述发现，提出了促进雾霾污染与经济增长更好协调的相关建议。
