Ecological Efficiency of Urban Industrial Land in Metropolitan Areas: Evidence from China

Industrial land is an indispensable strategic resource in urban development that plays an indispensable role in ensuring the industrial space of urban construction and development. Measuring and analyzing the eco-efficiency of industrial land utilization (ECILU) can provide insights into how to maximize the input–output ratio of industrial land and ensure the sustainable development of land resources and economies. Based on the undesirable output slacks-based measure (SBM) model, choosing land, capital, and labor as input indicators, and the industrial added value and carbon emissions as desirable and undesirable output indicators, this study measured the ECILUs in 78 cities and 13 metropolitan areas in four Chinese major economic zones from 2007 to 2018, analyzed their spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and regional differences, and constructed a Tobit regression model to test the influence mechanism of each variable on the ECILUs in different regions. This has important theoretical and practical significance for the Chinese government in formulating relevant policies and realizing the green utilization of urban land in the future. Empirical results showed that the ECILUs in most cities were low and that the differences between regions were large. The ECILU in the Western Economic Zone was relatively high, followed by the Eastern, Central, and Northeastern Economic Zones. According to the ECILU value and urban synergy degree of each metropolitan area, this study divided the 13 metropolitan areas into four categories. The regression analysis results showed that the variables had different effects on the ECILUs of all cities and the four economic zones in China. It is suggested that all economic zones should reinforce the optimization of industrial structure, control industrial pollutant discharge, and solve the phenomenon of labor surplus. The Eastern Zone should maintain the growth of its economy while focusing on soil quality. The Central Zone should focus on the efficient use of infrastructure, and the Western, Northeastern, and Central Zones should balance the green coverage area and the industrial land area to ensure the efficient use of urban industrial land.

Political Domination and Economic Dispossession of Farmers: The Case of Land Acquisition for Special Economic Zones in India

Involuntary acquisition of agricultural land for setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in India benefited the elite at the expense of small farmers who were and are the dominant voting group. Consequently, such policies were met with fierce political resistance by farmer organizations across the country. However, these movements have a mixed record against land acquisition attempts by the state and large corporations. This paper presents a simple model of the political conflict between the elite and small farmers over land acquisition to show how the elite may mobilize resources to ensure that their economic interests are protected even in democracies where they are in electoral minorities. We test the predictions of our model using a new data set compiled on SEZ projects that failed to acquire land because of farmer agitations. We show that factors like inequality in land ownership (class) and hierarchies of caste hinder the ability of small and marginal farmers to successfully organize collective action against land acquisition. Further, the division of votes along caste and ethnic lines also dilutes the potential for successful farmer agitations against land acquisition. Finally, we find that historically marginalized communities also resist land acquisition even when they face greater caste-based discrimination in the traditional village economy.

Spatial Spillover Transmission Effects of Financial Development on Economic-Zone Financial Efficiency in China

This article attempts to fill important knowledge gaps to explore the spatial spillover effects of financial markets on regional financial efficiency in eight economic zones using three-stage superefficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Durbin’s spatial econometric model. The average financial efficiencies in the North coast, East coast, and South coast economic zones reach the superefficiency DEA relatively efficient level, while the average financial efficiencies in the Northeast, Middle Yellow River, Middle Yangtze River, and large West-south and West-north economic zones reach the superefficiency DEA relatively inefficient level. Except for the North coast economic zone, seven equity markets have significant impacts on regional financial efficiency, and local equity markets in the Northeast, South coast, Middle Yellow River, and Middle Yangtze River economic zones generate significant spatial spillover effects on neighboring regions’ financial efficiency. Local credit markets only in the Northeast and South coast economic zones have significant spatial spillover influences on neighboring regions’ financial efficiency. Debt markets in the North coast, East coast, South coast, Middle Yangtze River, and large West-south economic zones have significant influences on regional financial efficiency, and local debt markets in the East coast and Middle Yangtze River economic zones generate significant spatial spillover effects on neighboring regions’ financial efficiency.

Tourism Special Economic Zone

Tanjung Kelayang is a tourism special economic zones (SEZ) established in Belitung regency, Indonesia, as an alternative and sustainable income to the community after the decline of tin mining. The TSEZ is focusing on rural and heritage tourism although mining activities are actively and continuously conducted. SEZs have been successful in some countries; however, India, China, and African countries have experienced less success in several aspects. The TSEZ offers some benefits but is vulnerable to external shock, since it was not developed based on a comprehensive design, and is associated with horizontal conflicts. This study reviewed Tanjung Kelayang's TSEZ policy based on SEZ implementation in various countries as a comparative study by adjusting the context of the phenomena occurring in Tanjung Kelayang. This research produced a review related to the TSEZ’s design, facilities, rules and regulations, also efforts to overcome horizontal conflicts.