A Case Study of Jiangxi Province in China
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
sustainability Article Measuring the Performance of Industrial Green Development Using a Non-Radial Directional Distance Function Approach: A Case Study of Jiangxi Province in China Wei Wang 1 ID , Hualin Xie 1,* ID , Fucai Lu 1 and Xinmin Zhang 2 1 Institute of Ecological Civilization, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330013, China; [email protected] (W.W.); [email protected] (F.L.) 2 Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-791-8397-9115 Received: 30 August 2017; Accepted: 27 September 2017; Published: 28 September 2017 Abstract: The industrial sector is a major contributor to resource consumption and environmental pollution in China. The energy-intensive industrial development and energy structure are dominated by coal, which has produced an enormous amount of industrial pollutants in China, and put great pressure on the ecological environment. Hence, improving the performance of industrial green development (PIGD) has become an urgent task of utmost importance. This study applies a global non-radial directional distance function to estimate the PIGD for Jiangxi Province during 2003–2015, and provides targeted policy suggestions. The empirical results show a rising trend in the PIGD in Jiangxi Province. At the city level, Nanchang and Fuzhou performed considerably better than other cities in regards to their PIGD. However, the poor environmental performance caused by the excessive discharge of industrial pollutants has also hindered its PIGD. Most cities in Jiangxi Province failed to efficiently use resources, especially energy and labor, in industrial production. The results of the influencing factor analysis show that the performance of industrial green development in Jiangxi could be improved through increasing per capita GDP, decreasing the share of coal consumption in the total industrial energy consumption, and decreasing the share of industrial GDP in the total GDP. Furthermore, a more efficient use of environmental management investment funds and timely transfer of the surplus industrial labor are needed. Keywords: energy consumption; performance of industrial green development (PIGD); environmental management; global non-radial directional distance function; sustainable development China 1. Introduction China has achieved remarkable progress in industrial economic development since the reform and opening-up of the late 1970s. However, the great differences between regions in the development of industrial economy are not conducive to the balanced development of the country’s economy. After the successful implementation of two famous development plans (e.g., the Western Development program and Revitalizing the northeast old industrial base), the industrial sectors of the western and northeastern regions are catching up with that in the eastern region. In March 2004, Premier Wen Jiabao pointed out that industrial development in the central region should not be neglected, and implementation of the famous “Central rise” plan officially began [1]. As a result, the industrial development in China’s Jiangxi Province has enjoyed remarkable progress. According to the Jiangxi Sustainability 2017, 9, 1757; doi:10.3390/su9101757 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2017, 9, 1757 2 of 17 Sustainability 2017, 9, 1757 2 of 17 Statistical Yearbook 2016, the industrial gross domestic product (GDP) was as high as 619.8 billion the Jiangxi Statistical Yearbook 2016, the industrial gross domestic product (GDP) was as high as yuan in 2015, accounting for more than 37 percent of the province’s GDP. The industrial sector has 619.8 billion yuan in 2015, accounting for more than 37 percent of the province’s GDP. The industrial become the pillar of social and economic development in this province [2]. sector has become the pillar of social and economic development in this province [2]. JiangxiJiangxi province province is is located located in thein the southeast southeast of China, of China, and isand composed is composed of 11 citiesof 11 (i.e., cities Nanchang, (i.e., Jingdezhen,Nanchang, Jingdezhen, Pingxiang, Jiujiang,Pingxiang, Xinyu, Jiujiang, Yingtan, Xinyu, Ganzhou,Yingtan, Ganzhou, Ji’an, Yichun, Ji’an, Yichun, Fuzhou, Fuzhou, and Shangrao, and seeShangrao, Figure1 )see. As Figure a traditional 1). As agricultural a traditional province, agricultural Jiangxi’s province, industrial Jiangxi’s economy industrial is relatively economy backward is comparedrelatively withbackward most compared of the other with provinces most of inthe the ot centralher provinces region in (i.e., the Henan, central Hubei,region (i.e., Hunan, Henan, Anhui, andHubei, Shanxi). Hunan, According Anhui, and to the Shanxi).China According Statistical Yearbookto the China 2016 Statistical, in 2015, Yearbook the industrial 2016, GDPin 2015, in Jiangxithe wasindustrial only 111.1 GDP billion in Jiangxi US dollars,was only which 111.1 wasbillion much US lowerdollars, than which Henan’s was much 254.1 lower billion than US Henan’s dollars and Hubei’s254.1 billion 191.6 US billion dollars US dollars.and Hubei’s In addition, 191.6 billion the greatUS dollars. benefits In of addition, industrial the production great benefits activities of haveindustrial beenaccompanied production activities by enormous have resourcebeen accompanied consumption by enormous and serious resource environmental consumption pollution and [3]. Inserious 2015, moreenvironmental than 50 million pollution tons [3]. of In standard 2015, more coal than equivalent 50 million (tce) tons of energyof standard were coal consumed equivalent for the purposes(tce) of energy of industrial were consumed production for in the Jiangxi purposes Province. of industrial The energy-intensive production in Jiangxi industrial Province. development The andenergy-intensive energy structure industrial dominated development by coal have and energy produced structure an enormous dominated amount by coal of have industrial produced pollutants, an whichenormous pose amount a great of threat industrial to the pollutants, ecological which environment. pose a great Almost threat to all the of ecological the cities environment. in Jiangxi have frequentlyAlmost all sufferedof the cities environmental in Jiangxi have pollution frequently incidents suffered [4 ,5environmental]. As shown inpollution Figure 2incidents, the high [4,5]. levels As shown in Figure 2, the high levels of the three typical industrial pollutants—industrial of the three typical industrial pollutants—industrial wastewater, industrial SO2, and industrial solid wastewater, industrial SO2, and industrial solid waste—have remained stable, and have shown no waste—have remained stable, and have shown no downward trend since 2003. As Albrizio et al. downward trend since 2003. As Albrizio et al. (2017) pointed out, focusing on the economic benefits (2017) pointed out, focusing on the economic benefits of industrial development and neglecting of industrial development and neglecting environmental protection is not a wise choice; it is an environmental protection is not a wise choice; it is an unsustainable endeavor that inevitably leads to unsustainable endeavor that inevitably leads to disastrous consequences [6]. Further, transitioning disastrous consequences [6]. Further, transitioning to a green economy was recognized by the Chinese to a green economy was recognized by the Chinese central government as an important long-term centralstrategy government [7,8]. In this as an context, important achieving long-term green strategy industrial [7,8]. development In this context, in achieving Jiangxi Province green industrial has developmentbecome an urgent in Jiangxi task [9–11]. Province has become an urgent task [9–11]. Figure 1. TheThe location location of of Jiangxi Jiangxi Province Province and and itsits 11 11cities. cities. Sustainability 2017, 9, 1757 3 of 17 Sustainability 2017, 9, 1757 3 of 17 Figure 2. Trends in industrial wastewater, industrial SO2, and industrial solid waste discharge, 2003– Figure 2. Trends in industrial wastewater, industrial SO2, and industrial solid waste discharge, 2015.2003–2015. Data source: Data source: China ChinaStatistical Statistical Yearbook Yearbook (2004–2016). (2004–2016). Fortunately, the local government of Jiangxi ProvinceProvince has already started to pay attention to this problem and and attempted attempted to to take take effective effective measures measures [12,13]. [12,13]. Many Many policies policies have have been been issued issued in recentin recent years years that thataim for aim a formore a effective more effective use of industrial use of industrial resources resources and address and excessive address industrial excessive pollution.industrial An pollution. example An of such example policies of suchis the policies “Regulations is the of “Regulations Jiangxi Province of Jiangxi for the Province Prevention for and the ControlPrevention of Environmental and Control of EnvironmentalPollution” from Pollution” December from2000, December which pointed 2000, whichout the pointed necessity out and the urgencynecessity of and air urgencypollution, of airwater pollution, pollution, water and pollution, solid waste and pollution solid waste control pollution in Jiangxi control Province. in Jiangxi In addition,Province. the In “Notice addition, of theJiangxi “Notice Water of Pollution Jiangxi Water Prevention Pollution and PreventionControl Plan”