Risk communication in multistakeholder engagement: A novel spatial econometric model.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Economics
• Risk Analysis
• Spatial Econometrics

Background:

• Existing Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) models overlook pollution transfer due to environmental regulations.
• Risk communication and stakeholder biases shape regional environmental regulation attitudes.
• Pollution risk transfer impacts pollution reduction assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the causality between risk communication and pollution risk transfer.
• To construct a spatial environmental hyperbolic model incorporating technological innovation and pollution risk transfer.
• To examine the bidirectional correlation between pollution emissions and economic growth in different regions.

Main Methods:

• Developed a spatial environmental hyperbolic model.
• Analyzed risk communication and multistakeholder engagement processes.
• Used agricultural watershed pollution data from China as a case study.

Main Results:

• Agricultural watershed pollution and economic growth exhibit an inverted U-shaped relationship locally and a U-shaped relationship in adjacent regions.
• Pollution reduction observed in EKC models is significantly influenced by pollution risk transfer.
• The U-shaped curve's turning point precedes the inverted U-shaped curve's turning point in the spatial model.

Conclusions:

• Stakeholders must address risk awareness biases stemming from economic disparities and "pollution havens."
• The study expands the EKC hypothesis, offering a more applicable framework for developing countries' pollution reduction.
• Regional differences in environmental regulation attitudes, driven by risk communication, are critical for effective pollution control.