How does transportation development affect environmental performance? Evidence from Hainan Province, China

• Published in: Cities Vol. 129; p. 103835
• Main Authors: Qiao, Wenyi, Huang, Xianjin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2022
• Subjects: Environmental performance; Influence mechanism; Land use change; Transportation development; Transportation development; Influence mechanism; Environmental performance; Land use change
• ISSN: 0264-2751; 1873-6084
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2022.103835

Regarding the environmental effects of transportation development, changes in traffic types and traffic congestion have attracted more attention, while the internal impact mechanism is under-researched. Conventionally, transportation development can improve the environmental performance through the agglomeration effect and technological progress. However, there is not always the case since the influence path of transportation development is diverse and highly region-specific. Therefore, this paper attempts to clarify the influence mechanism of transportation development on environmental performance, taking 18 counties and cities in Hainan Province, China, as an example. The results show that transportation development will alleviate environmental pollution. And land use change, as an important mediator, is a double-edged sword for environmental improvement. Transportation development can both reduce and worsen environmental pollution by exacerbating land use efficiency and increasing land development intensity, respectively. However, the improvement of environmental performance brought by the increasing in land use efficiency can alleviate and even offset the environmental pollution problems caused by over-exploitation of land. Hence, implementing transport policies integrated with land management may be the key to achieving sustainable transport. •We construct the multi-level mechanism and path of the impact of transportation development on environmental performance.•Transportation development has a negative effect on urban environmental performance.•The intensive use effect represented by land use efficiency has a positive effect can decrease the pollution intensity.•The economic effect of urbanization characterized by land development intensity increases the environmental pressure.•The above influence mechanisms have significant regional and development stage heterogeneity.