How environmental regulation influences the green economy efficiency of resource-based cities: an empirical study from China

Environmental regulation is the principal policy for the deterioration of the ecological environment, but it can also interfere with the green development efficiency of resource-based cities. However, the relationship between regulation and development is still unclear and how to realize the sustainable development of resource-based cities under environmental regulation becomes an important topic. This paper investigates the green economy efficiency of resource-based cities using the super-SBM model based on the panel data of 98 resource-based cities in China from 2006 to 2016. Then, we empirically test the effect of environmental regulation using the SYS-GMM estimation method and threshold model. This study finds that the green economy efficiency in different categories of resource-based cities is significantly different. Environmental regulation has a significant positive effect on the green economy efficiency in resource-based cities and significantly promotes the green economy efficiency in growing cities. The policy also plays a certain role in improving the green economy efficiency in grow-up cities, but the effect is not significant. In addition, environmental regulation has a negative impact on the green economy efficiency of recessionary cities and regenerative cities. Finally, some policy suggestions are put forward to realize the sustainable development of resource-based cities.