Economic and Environmental Changes in Shenzhen—A Technology Hub in Southern China

Abstract

Shenzhen has been established as the technology and innovation center in China. The study reviews its economic development and environmental change over the past four decades. Specifically, it tests whether environmental Kuznets curve relationship between haze as a proxy indicator of environmental condition and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita holds in Shenzhen. The study also examines the contribution of Shenzhen’s secondary sector to its GDP and highlights some changes in the computer, communication and electronic product manufacturing industries over the years. We collected the official data from the Shenzhen Municipal Government. Economic, social and environmental changes in Shenzhen were identified using tables and stacked graphs. Environmental Kuznets curve revealed that the worst environmental condition appeared in Shenzhen during the period 2003–2004. Environmental analysis showed that Shenzhen’s computer, communication and electronic product manufacturing industries consumed 52,595 TJ of energy and produced 10.1 million tons CO2-eq in 2019. As gross output value of the industries was USD 336 billion in 2019, the industries had an energy efficiency of 156,716 MJ/million USD and an emission efficiency of 30.6 tons CO2-eq/million USD, improving by 74% and 65%, respectively, since 2008. Nevertheless, the industries should focus more on high value-added and low energy-intensive technologies and innovations. Additionally, the Shenzhen Government shall increase the use of clean energy sources such as nuclear, wind and solar power in order to sustain the continual improvement of energy and emission efficiencies for all industries.

Coupling Efficiency Assessment of Food–Energy–Water (FEW) Nexus Based on Urban Resource Consumption towards Economic Development: The Case of Shenzhen Megacity, China

“…The GDP of Shenzhen reached USD 366 billion and surpassed Hong Kong's GDP from 2018, resulting in the GDP per capita of Shenzhen is highest among Chinese cites [35]. It is acknowledged that intensive manufacturing industries, which have played a key role in the rapid economic growth of Shenzhen over the past forty years [5], cost more FEW resources due to the higher resource demand for constant mechanical operation, industrial cleaning and labor-intensive food consumption. As a technological and innovation hub in China, the secondary sector of Shenzhen gradually shifted from labor-intensive manufacture to high-technology industry through industrial restructuring, which promoted higher GDP per capita than traditional manufacturing industries and therefore reduced FEW consumptions while pursuing greater GDP.…”

“…As a technological and innovation hub in China, the secondary sector of Shenzhen gradually shifted from labor-intensive manufacture to high-technology industry through industrial restructuring, which promoted higher GDP per capita than traditional manufacturing industries and therefore reduced FEW consumptions while pursuing greater GDP. Taking energy consumption for instance, the improvements in the energy efficiencies of computer, communication and electronic product manufacturing in Shenzhen city not only contributed energy saving, but also sustained the GDP growth during 2012-2019 by the export of high value-added products (e.g., semiconductor integrated circuits) [5]. Consequently, GDP per capita should encourage resource-saving trends [56] and FEW efficiencies towards a greener GDP during the urbanization process.…”

“…Land 2022, 11, 1783 2 of 25 China, as the largest developing country in the world, is experiencing unprecedented urbanization since the reform and opening in the late 1970s [5], and FEW resources are indispensable to regional social and economic development [6]. Recently, the sustainability of China was challenged by the uneven regional distribution and low utilization efficiency of FEW resources [7,8].…”