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Dynamics of China's regional development and pollution: an investigation into the Environmental Kuznets Curve

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 August 2004

HENRI L.F. De GROOT ,
CEES A. WITHAGEN  and
ZHOU MINLIANG
HENRI L.F. De GROOT
Affiliation:
Department of Spatial Economics, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: hgroot@feweb.vu.nl
CEES A. WITHAGEN
Affiliation:
Tilburg University and CentER, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Tinbergen Institute
ZHOU MINLIANG
Affiliation:
Institute of Industrial Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
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Abstract

This paper addresses the existence of an Environmental Kuznets Curve for China, using a sample of 30 regions, covering the period 1982–1997. The types of pollution included are wastewater, waste gas, and solid waste. We consider the development of the sources of pollution in a pooled cross-section analysis with pollution in absolute levels, in per capita terms, and relative to real Gross Regional Product (GRP). At intermediate levels of GRP per capita, the increase of solid and gas emissions tends to decelerate, but it accelerates again at high levels of GRP per capita. Water pollution decreases with per capita GRP. We also predict future waste gas emissions.

Type
Research Article
Information
Environment and Development Economics , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , August 2004 , pp. 507 - 537
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

We would like to thank Herman Vollebergh and two anonymous referees of this journal for stimulating and useful comments on an earlier version of this paper. Henri de Groot would like to thank NWO for financial support.