Ecological Indicators (Sep 2024)
The space network evolution of green development and its multidimensional network location analysis: Under the Chinese scenario
Abstract
Green development (GD) has emerged as a key area of focus for the sustainable development in the new era. Discussing spatial correlation networks and their multidimensional location impact on GD is of paramount significance for facilitating spillover benefits & narrowing regional disparities in GD, and optimizing development pathways. This study follows the basic steps of quantitative research, we first constructed the spatial correlation network of GD (NGD), then further clarified the structural characteristics from the perspective of social network analysis (SNA), finally in order to explore whether different network locations (NL) have different mechanisms on GD of individuals, and whether this mechanism is non-linear, we introduced the Tobit model and the Threshold model to conduct empirical tests respectively. The quantitative research results show that: (1) While the NGD in China exhibits a significant hierarchical structure, it is gradually being disrupted (dropped sharply to around 0.325 since 2014); (2) The center of the NGD is mainly concentrated in the eastern region and “city clusters” such as the “Yangtze River Delta”, which have both internal and external connections; meanwhile, the “peripheral” regions are located in the western part which only exist inter-regional connections leading their GD tend to take advantage of “neighborhood” to form regional GD scale effects; (3) The results of the influence of multidimensional NL on GD showed that closeness holds greater stability than centrality (showing positive values in different threshold intervals), and the GD sharing mechanism between regions in China has not yet formed. Then we address that elevating the value of GD can be achieved through three pathways: attaining a higher core status, establishing short-distance network relationships, or securing strategic positions among ’partners.
