Ecological Well-Being Performance Growth in China (1994–2014): from Perspectives of Industrial Structure Green Adjustment and Green Total Factor Productivity

Industrial structure green adjustment (ISGA) and green total factor productivity (GTFP), deriving from development processes for green goals, recently attracted great attention as two ways to achieve Ecological Well-being Performance (EWP) growth, which is one of the main green development goals that humanity should pursue, and which affects the efficiency improvement of transforming ecological consumption into human well-being. In this paper, the effects of ISGA and GTFP on EWP growth are empirically tested in a dynamic panel model of spatial econometrics, using statistics from 30 provinces of China in the 1994–2014 period. In particular, the indicator system of ISGA is firstly constructed based on the theories of EWP and three-dimensional industrial ecological footprint (3DIEF). The results indicate that spatial spillovers are important factors in the effects, the main driving force for EWP growth in provinces of China had gradually shifted from ISGA to GTFP, and GTFP is essential for structural bonuses from ISGA to take effect. In addition, a provincial government needs to target reference objects from not only other provinces in the same economic zone's yardstick competition, but also ISGA and GTFP situations in geographically close or economically similar provinces. In addition, the adverse EWP effects of ISGA can be mitigated by GTFP increase or a combination of GTFP and ISGA for provinces in all stages of ISGA. In general, improving GTFP will be the main driving force for China's provincial EWP growth, and the main venue through which the adverse effects of improper ISGA can be mitigated. The present study contributes to explore the EWP growth effect of ISGA and GTFP, can at least provide a valuable guidance and in-depth understanding to researchers, operators and policy makers who wish to improve human well-being in an ecologically efficient way, as well as for the follow-up studies.