Evaluation of Green Development Efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt Based on DEA

This article reviews the current research status of green development both domestically and internationally, including: the connotations and characteristics of green development, the evaluation of green development levels, and the measurement of green development efficiency. By reviewing relevant literature, this paper selects the period from 2011 to 2021 and focuses on the 11 provinces along the Yangtze River Economic Belt to measure the green development efficiency of the region. The conclusions drawn are that the green development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is showing an upward trend but still faces issues of uneven development, with uneven distribution of green development efficiency. Among these, the green development efficiency of provinces in the middle and lower reaches is higher, followed by those in the downstream provinces, exhibiting a trend of first rising, then declining, and finally rising again. Based on the evaluation of green development efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, policy implications for its green development are provided: the government should transform its functions and increase investment in science and education to promote more stable green development in the region, driving sustainable development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt.