Zhu, X. and Li, B., 2020. Convergence of efficiency of environmental pollution control investment in the coastal areas of China. In: Hu, C. and Cai, M. (eds.), Geo-informatics and Oceanography. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 105, pp. 171–175. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Based on the Slack Based Measure model of unexpected output, this paper estimates the efficiency of environmental pollution control investment in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and eight economic regions including coastal areas of China for the time period 2003–15. According to the difference of efficiency in different economic regions, convergence theory is used to study the convergence of efficiency difference. The efficiency of environmental pollution control investment in the northern coast, the eastern coast, the middle reaches of the Yellow River, and the nationwide show obvious σ convergence trend. The internal differences in the southern coast shows an m-type σ convergence trend; NE China shows a tail divergence trend; and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, NE China, and NW China show a periodic σ convergence trend. Absolute β convergence and conditional β convergence of the efficiency in the nationwide and eight economic regions including coastal areas occurs.