Haze pollution and urbanization promotion in China: How to understand their spatial interaction?

Abstract Can promoting urbanization and controlling haze pollution result in a win-win situation? Based on panel data from 287 prefecture-level cities in China, this paper uses the three-stage least-squares estimator method(3SLS) and generalized space three-stage least-squares estimator method (GS3SLS) to study the spatial interaction between haze pollution and urbanization. The results show the following: (1) There is a spatial interaction between haze pollution and urbanization. On the whole, haze pollution and urbanization have a typical inverted U-shaped relationship. (2) Haze and urbanization show different relationships in different regions. The haze pollution in the area left of the Hu Line has a linear relationship with urbanization. (3) In addition to haze, urbanization also has a spatial spillover effect. When the haze pollution in the surrounding areas increases, the haze pollution in the area will also increase, but the level of urbanization will increase. When the level of urbanization in the surrounding areas increases, it will promote the level of urbanization in the local area and alleviate the haze pollution in the local area. (4) Tertiary industry, greening, FDI and precipitation can help alleviate haze pollution. FDI and the level of urbanization have a U-shaped relationship. In addition, industry, transportation, population density, economic level and market scale can promote regional urbanization.