# Dynamic Evaluation and Internal Driving Factors of Water Resources Green Efficiency in China
###### Abstract  
High-quality economic development and the realization of ecological civilization have become the main goals of China's economic development. This study constructed a global reference Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index model of directional distance function from the perspective of mixed disposability and divided water resources green efficiency into pure technical efficiency change (PEC) index, scale efficiency change (SEC) index, pure technology change (PTC) index and scale technology change (STC) index. The results show the following: (1) The value of China's water resources green efficiency increased by 1.1% from 2000 to 2016. The central region improved the most (1.4%), followed by the western (1%) and eastern (0.9%) regions. The water resources green efficiency improved in all provinces except Guangxi and Yunnan. (2) The water resources green efficiency is significantly affected by national policies, and there may not be a significant positive correlation with economic development. At present, the water resources green efficiency in most provinces still needs to be improved. (3) From 2000 to 2016, China's water resources green efficiency decomposition index showed an upward trend except for SEC, and PTC was the main driving force for improving China's water resources green efficiency. (4) The variation of PEC among provinces showed an inverted \"N\" trend, while the differences of SEC and STC showed an ascending trend, and PTC showed an inverted \"U\" trend. The proportions of provinces in which PEC, SEC, and STC indices improved were 40%, 46.67%, and 60%, respectively. water resources green efficiency; data envelopment analysis; dynamic change; driving factors; China +
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pollution has gradually increased. The pollution not only destroys the water ecological environment, but also threatens public health, leading to the constant occurrence of human diseases [4], and reducing the subjective well-being of residents [5]. The scarcity of water resources and the deteriorating water ecological environment have hindered China's national strategy of promoting high-quality development and building an ecological civilization. An increase in water resources and the improvement of water utilization efficiency are the main ways to alleviate China's water crisis. However, because of limited global water resources, improving water utilization efficiency has become the more achievable solution to the water crisis. Unfortunately, under the existing ecological civilization system, the indicators for water resource utilization efficiency are not comprehensive enough because they ignore the characteristics of water ecological environmental pollutants (their generation and treatment), as well as the factors of social sustainable development. In addition, existing research regarding water utilization efficiency has been based only on the perspective of wastewater discharges, and the relationship between water resources and other ecological environmental pollutants has not been fully considered. To overcome the limits of existing research, this study developed a water resources green efficiency evaluation index system and measurement model based on the ecological civilization system and the goal of high-quality development and ecological civilization construction. The index and model include economic, social, ecological environment indicators and the index is of great practical significance for objectively evaluating the water resource utilization efficiency of China as a whole and of the provinces, clarifying the driving factors of efficiency, and improving water resources green efficiency. This research aims to clarify the internal driving factors of efficiency by objectively evaluating the water resources green efficiency in various provinces of China.