Analyzing Inclusive Green Growth in China: A perspective of relative efficiency

Inclusive Green Growth (IGG) has important reference value for China’s ecological civilization construction and transformation of economic development. Therefore, this study assesses China’s IGG level from the perspective of relative efficiency. The IGG efficiency (IGGE) was measured at the provincial level in China from 2000 to 2017 by using super Epsilon-based measure (EBM) model that considers undesirable outputs. The spatiotemporal pattern of IGGE was analyzed by kernel density estimation and spatial autocorrelation. The results indicate a fluctuating trend from 2000 to 2017 for the IGGE of China, and significant differences between regional interprovincial IGGE were observed. On average, the eastern region presented the highest efficiency, while the level in the central and western regions was similar. There is a positive spatial autocorrelation in the IGGE distribution, and the agglomeration of spatial distribution fluctuated during the study period. The IGGE has significant spatial spillover effects at the provincial level according to the spatial Durbin model. Among the influencing factors, the spatial spillover effects of dependence on import and export trade and technological innovation are significant. The regression results also confirm the Environmental Kuznets Curve effect between IGG and economic growth in China. Finally, some implicit policies can be established based on the empirical analysis.