Environmental Pollution Incidents in China (2000–2021): Characteristic Analysis, Influencing Factors, and Optimized Management Framework

ABSTRACT Precise environmental risk management requires a comprehensive understanding of environmental pollution incidents (EPIs). This study conducted an integrated analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution, pollution sources, receptors, lifecycle stages, causes, and macro‐drivers underlying EPIs in China across a 22‐year period (2000–2021). The results indicated that the frequency of EPIs increased until 2006 before entering a phase of overall decline with intermittent fluctuations. Analysis of severity‐classified data further revealed a significant reduction in serious EPIs since 2011. Clear seasonal and spatial heterogeneities were observed, with higher risks concentrated in spring and summer and in major economic hubs, most notably Guangdong and Jiangsu. Manufacturing and transportation were the dominant source sectors (35.22%), water bodies were the primary pollution receptor (73.97%), the production stage was the most incident‐prone lifecycle phase (31.35%), and illegal discharge constituted the leading cause (37.47%). Spearman correlation analysis identified industrial structure, resource consumption, governance investment, and freight transport as key influencing factors. Synthesizing these diagnostic insights, we proposed a multidimensional framework that integrated spatiotemporally targeted regulations, sector‐specific transformations, and lifecycle management into a synergistic strategy explicitly aligning pollution risk control with the broader objectives of sustainable development and carbon neutrality.