Efficiency evaluation and dynamic evolution of China's regional green economy: A method based on the Super-PEBM model and DEA window analysis

Abstract Given the current circumstances of increasingly serious resource consumption and environmental pollution, the development of China’s green economy will profoundly impact the nation’s future economic prosperity and even global economic development. Based on panel data from 2008 to 2017, this paper measures the green economic efficiency (GEE) of Chinese regions and analyzes its dynamic evolution using time series, based on a novel data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. Using environmental DEA techniques, this paper introduces the Super-PEBM (EBM based on pearson correlation coefficient) model, which is developed from the Epsilon based measure (EBM) model, and combines Super-PEBM with the window analysis method. Firstly, environmental DEA technology is used to analyze GEE at the regional level in China. Secondly, based on panel data, the window analysis method is used to analyze the regional differences of China’s regional GEE. Finally, the development trend of China’s regional GEE in different time windows is obtained by combining the Super-PEBM model and window analysis. The empirical analysis results using panel data for regions in China from 2008 to 2017 show that: (1) the overall GEE of China is slowly increasing, and the regional differences are still significant, and (2) the improvement of GEE can help to reduce regional differences.