Evaluation and influencing factors of Nitrogen Flow Efficiency in Taihu River Basin

Scientifically quantifying and analyzing the nitrogen flow efficiency and its influencing factors in the Taihu Lake basin is of great significance to promote its pollution management and green development. Twenty-one municipalities in the Lake Tai basin were selected as the research objects from 2018 to 2022, and the Super-SBM model was used to reveal the changing characteristics of the nitrogen flow efficiency in the Lake Tai basin from 2 perspectives, namely static and dynamic, and the key factors affecting the nitrogen flow efficiency of the basin were explored through the Tobit model. The results show that (1) from 2018 to 2022, the overall nitrogen flow efficiency of the Lake Tai basin is at a low level, and there is still a large space for nitrogen reduction potential. (2) In terms of dynamic efficiency, the Malmquist trend indicates that the overall trend of nitrogen flow efficiency in the Lake Tai Basin is favorable, and that technological progress remains an important driving force to promote the improvement of nitrogen flow efficiency in the Lake Tai Basin. (3) In terms of influencing factors, environmental regulation and energy structure show positive and significant effects in improving the nitrogen flow efficiency of the basin. Finally, from the commonalities and differences, relevant policy suggestions for improving the efficiency of nitrogen flow in the basin are proposed.