Effects of outward migration of factory for the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei city circle

Abstract

This article analysed potential locations for the outward migration of pollutive enterprises in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region using regression discontinuity. Impacts of biased technical progress on the economy and the environment based on current development status of this region were demonstrated. The suitability of different locations for pollutive enterprises was assessed. The results indicated that due to clustering and radiation effects of the city circle, there were varying impacts on counties and cities at a distance of 150 km. Environment-biased technical progress could notably improve the environment in counties and cities within the critical value but had little impact on those outside of the critical value. If polluting enterprises could be re-located to sites more than 150 km away, the life quality of residents both inside and outside of the city circle would be improved.

Keywords:

• regression discontinuity
• biased technical progress
• city circle
• life quality

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Major Projects in Philosophy and Social Science Research of the Ministry of Education of China under Grant No. 14JZD031; the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University under Grant No. NCET-12-0595; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 71171001 & 71471001; projects in Philosophy and Social Science Research of the Ministry of Education of China under Grant No. 16YJC630123; the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant No. 2015M570613; the Special Project of Postdoctoral Innovation Projects of Shandong under Grant No. 201503013; the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong, China under Grant No. ZR2015PG003; and Key Projects in Philosophy and Social Science of Anhui, China under Grant No. AHSKZ2014D01.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Major Projects in Philosophy and Social Science Research of the Ministry of Education of China under Grant Number: 14JZD031; the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University under Grant Number: NCET-12-0595; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Numbers: 71171001 & 71471001; projects in Philosophy and Social Science Research of the Ministry of Education of China under Grant Number: 16YJC630123; the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant Number: 2015M570613; the Special Project of Postdoctoral Innovation Projects of Shandong under Grant Number: 201503013; the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong, China under Grant No. ZR2015PG003; and Key Projects in Philosophy and Social Science of Anhui, China under Grant Number: AHSKZ2014D01.