What drives urban land green use efficiency in China: A global meta-frontier Malmquist Index approach

Abstract

Rapid urbanization has brought substantial socio-economic benefits to China, as well as numerous problems related to resources and the environment. The efficient and green use of urban land is an urgent task for China’s future sustainable development and green urbanization under the new conditions of high-quality economic development. This paper comprehensively measures urban land green use efficiency by combining the SBM-undesirable and meta-frontier models. It examines the technical heterogeneity in different regions and the causes of urban land green use inefficiency. Subsequently, this paper decomposes the dynamics of urban land green use efficiency and explores its driving factors using the Malmquist Index. Finally, this paper analyzes the factors that influence urban land green use efficiency by using the Tobit model. In this paper, it was found that (1) China’s urban land green use efficiency remains inefficient, and there was a gap between the production technology and the potential optimal production technology in each region. (2) In terms of urban land green use efficiency, there is a significant degree of technological heterogeneity, but most regions are slowly catching up with potential production technologies. (3) Urban land green use inefficiency mainly stems from production technology and management inefficiency, and each region has different technological and management potentials in land use. (4) Economic growth contributes significantly to urban land green use efficiency in all regions, while financial pressures have the opposite effect. The impacts of other influences on urban land green use efficiency varied by region. Based on the empirical findings, the government should critically review available land and consider land use holistically. Meanwhile, land use techniques should be continuously improved, and land planning concepts should be updated.