Coordination between sulfur dioxide pollution control and rapid economic growth in China: evidence from satellite observations and spatial economic models

Abstract China has not only witnessed unprecedented economic success but has also suffered from severe sulfur dioxide (SO2) dominated air pollution for years. However, satellite observations show that SO2 concentrations have been substantially reduced in recent years, while the economy in China still grows at a rapid pace. In this study, we explored the possible reasons behind such coordination by using satellite observations and economic model simulations. The findings are as follows. (1) Since 2011, SO2 pollution over China has been substantially reduced and the most highly polluted area is mainly observed in the North China Plain. (2) The Moran's I test results show that SO2 pollution presents positive spatial autocorrelation. (3) Industrial upgrades, foreign direct investment and technological progress are the principal contributors to the significant reductions of SO2 concentrations, which helps explore the mechanism behind the coordination between SO2 pollution control and rapid economic growth in China.