The extension of regional Environmental Kuznets Curve and its determinants: An empirical research based on spatial econometrics model
省域环境库兹涅茨曲线的扩展及其决定因素——空间计量经济学模型实证

Based on the extension of the traditional Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC),employing the cross-sectional data of Chinese 31 provinces in 2008 and spatial econometrics model,the paper analyzes the spatial autocorrelation of environmental pollution of Chinese provinces,as well as the shape and determinants of the EKC.The empirical results are shown as follows.(1) There exists evident spatial dependence and spillover effects of the provincial environmental pollution,and the high-high and low-low clustering areas are playing the leading roles.(2) The simulation shape between per capita GDP and environmental degradation presents a "U-shaped and inverted-U-shaped" pattern based on the global cross-sectional data,and the EKC pattern fitted by Chinese 30 provincial data shows an "inverted U-shaped" pattern,so the EKC hypothesis at provincial level is confirmed.(3) Per capita GDP of 29 provinces is observed in the left-hand area of the "inverted U-shaped" curve,which demonstrates that the more income people get,more serious environment pollution will be.(4) Shanghai has transcended the "inverted U-shaped" curve's inflection point in advance,which means that the increase of per capita income is coordinated with its environmental protection.(5) The population size,urbanization level and middle-grade human capital are positively correlated with losses induced by environmental pollution of the provinces.(6) The upgrading of industrial structure,the accumulation of the high-grade human capital,and the widening of opening up are in favor of dealing with the environmental problems.