Relationships Between Environmental Pollution, Population Increase and Economic Development of Henan China

摘要

As a significant traditional agricultural province, Henan has seen an increase in environmental pollution and population that has exerted considerable pressure on its economic development, after it experienced a long-term rapid economic development. Henan is facing the challenge of maintaining its environmental quality while continuing its economic growth. Through the STIRPAT model (Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology), a form achieved by improving the IPAT model, the effects of population, economic growth, and technological level on environmental pollution based on time series data during 2000-2013 were analysed. The investigation results indicate that the population increase in Henan has resulted in an increase in resource demand that causes environmental pollution; economy has a clearly positive correlation effect on environmental pollution; and the improvement of technological level can help enhance the rate of resource utilization and ease environmental pollution. This study proposes that the industrial structure of Henan should be upgraded and that greater efforts should be exerted on supporting the environmental protection industry. The tertiary and advanced secondary industries should be developed further to realize the rapid development of the economy and environmental protection so that environmental pollution can be mitigated and rapid economic development can be guaranteed.