Effects of Agglomeration, Environmental Regulations, and Technology on Pollutant Emissions in China: Integrating Spatial, Social, and Economic Network Analyses

Using prefecture-level panel data and social media data, this study investigates how industrial agglomeration, environmental regulations, and technology affect the pollutant intensity and spillover channels of pollutant emissions by integrating social and economic networks into a Spatial Durbin Model. The results show that industrial agglomeration, environmental regulations, and technological inputs facilitate the emissions intensity abatement. The outcomes also confirm that these factors affect the intensity of pollutant emissions in neighboring regions through social, economic, and spatial networks. Agglomeration has a negative spillover effect on the intensity of pollutant emissions in surrounding cities via social and spatial networks, while environmental regulations affect pollutant emissions intensity in related cities through social networks. Technology can effectively lower pollutant emissions through economic networks. These findings highlight the network linkages and spillover channels affecting the intensity of pollutant emissions.