Measurement and Spatio-Temporal Evolution Analysis of Green Water Efficiency in Shaanxi Province Based on the SBM-Malmquist Model

Improving water resource green efficiency is an important approach to alleviating the contradiction between water supply and demand. This paper takes Shaanxi Province as the study area and constructs a panel dataset using data from 10 prefecture-level cities in Shaanxi Province from 2013 to 2023. First, the SBM model and Malmquist index are used to calculate and analyze the green efficiency of water resources in Shaanxi Province. Second, the Tobit model is used to test the factors influencing the green efficiency of water resources in Shaanxi Province. The results show the following: (1) During the period from 2013 to 2023, Shaanxi Province’s water resource green efficiency was generally poor, but it showed an overall upward trend with significant regional differences. (2) The average Malmquist index for water resource green efficiency in Shaanxi Province from 2013 to 2023 was 1.176, and there was a noticeable lag in the conversion between technological innovation and its practical application in Shaanxi Province. (3) The proportion of the secondary industry and per capita water resources had a significant impact on water resource green efficiency in Shaanxi Province.