A Theoretical Framework for Understanding the Spatial Coupling between Poverty and the Environment: A Case Study from China

Abstract

Poverty and environmental degradation is an interactive and complex issue, which needs to be addressed to pursue human sustainable development. The objective of this study was to create a theoretical framework for sustainable agriculture, considering the dynamic interaction between environment and multidimensional poverty. The model system used in this study was the region surrounding the Chinese Three Gorges reservoir. We constructed an evaluation index system to measure the dynamic interactions by employing Entropy-weight and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methods. In this case study, we analyzed the dynamic interactive relationships between environmental degradation and rural poverty by adopting geographic information system (GIS) and comprehensive index evaluation, based on statistical (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013) and remote sensing image data. We found that: (i) in the Three Gorges reservoir region (TGRR), a vicious cycle between poverty, environmental load, and livelihood is occurring; (ii) in areas stressed by environmental concerns the environmental load is the main stress factor, while in the areas stressed by poverty, livelihood is the main stress factor; and (iii) the coupling degrees between environmental degradation and poverty differ in different areas of the TGRR, and counties with adverse features have been spatially agglomerated over time; and the area with high coupling and high synergy accounts for the 38.1% of the total reservoir region. core Ideas• A coupling coordination model for the environment and rural poverty is built. • Both environment degradation and rural poverty in China's Three Gorges Reservoir Region have been deteriorated. • Coupling degrees differ observably in different areas of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region in rural China. • Main stress factors are environment load and livelihood.

Nexus between Environmental Degradation, Clean Energy, Financial Inclusion, and Poverty: Evidence with DSUR, CUP-FM, and CUP-BC Estimation

“…The findings of the study show that there is an effect of environmental degradation on increasing poverty level in poor and developing economies of countries with four major thematic clusters. Similar findings can be found in the study of [9] in Nagaland; ref [68] for Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines from 1995 to 2014; ref [69] for global panel data of 146 countries from 1996 to 2014; ref [70] for 2000 to 2013 in China; ref [71], which analyzed the multidimensional characteristics of poverty and how it impacts the environment and society using the 2009 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the 2009 report of Department of Statistics in Taiwan; ref [31], which used time series of secondary data of 2012 to 2016 along with a cross-sector with 38 regencies in East Java, Indonesia; ref [32], considering the period from 1990 to 2015 in Nigeria; and ref [72], considering 33 provinces in Indonesia for 2012-2017.…”

“…This statement implies that the effects of financial inclusion on poverty alleviation may vary based on the economic and social context of different regions. When formulating policies and implementing interventions for financial inclusion, it is imperative to duly consider the distinct challenges and opportunities inherent to each specific region [60,67,69,71]. The findings underscore the importance of promoting financial inclusion as a strategic approach to poverty reduction.…”

The Impact of Pollution on China Marine Fishery Culture: An Econometric Analysis of Heterogeneous Growth

“…What's important, poverty-stricken rural areas in China are usually mired by environmental pollution, resource dependence, inequality, etc. (Shuai et al, 2019). Those short of capitals usually excessively rely on free natural resources and lack the ability to cope with environmental changes, thus aggravating environmental degradation (Ruch and Geyer, 2017).…”