Impacts of industrial agglomeration on industrial pollutant emissions: Evidence found in the Lanzhou–Xining urban agglomeration in western China

Industrial agglomeration does not only promote economic and social prosperity of urban agglomeration, but also increases industrial pollution, which poses a health risk to the general public. The Lanzhou–Xining urban agglomeration in western China is characterized by industrial agglomeration and serious industrial pollution. Based on the county panel data of the Lanzhou–Xining urban agglomeration in western China from 2010 to 2018, a research of the impacts of industrial agglomeration on industrial pollutant emissions was conducted by using spatial analysis technology and spatial econometric analysis. The results indicate that industrial agglomeration is an important factor leading to an increase in industrial pollutant emissions. In addition, population density, economic level, and industrial structure are also important factors that lead to the increase in industrial pollutant emissions. However, technological level has led to the reduction in industrial pollutant emissions. Furthermore, industrial pollutant emissions are not only affected by the industrial agglomeration, population density, economic level, industrial structure, and technological level of the county but also by those same factors in the surrounding counties, owing to the spatial spillover effect. Joint development of green industries and control of industrial pollutant emissions is an inevitable result for the Lanzhou–Xining urban agglomeration in western China.