Spatial effect of transportation infrastructure on regional circular economy: evidence from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Compared with the linear economy, the circular economy can solve the contradiction between social development and resource utilization, which has attracted wide attention. Although the relationship between transportation infrastructure and economic development has changed from traditional mode to spatial mode, the spatial effect of transportation infrastructure on regional circular economy is still unclear. By combining the policy changes for developing the circular economy in China, this study constructs a comprehensive index of circular economy development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Based on the time and space development of the circular economy in GBA, we analyze the spatial effect of transportation infrastructure on it. The results show that the regional circular economy in GBA has developed, but has not been decoupled from economic development. The development of the regional circular economy presents a positive spatial spillover effect, which is beneficial to the building of the regional recycling market. The improvement of transportation infrastructure has a positive impact on the circular economy of neighboring cities, but it may have the risk of inhibiting the development of the local circular economy. These findings provide policy recommendations for urban planners to coordinate the development of transportation infrastructure and circular economy.