To explore the impact mechanism of heterogeneously environmental regulations on green total factor productivity, this paper uses SBM to estimate the green total factor productivities (GTFP) of “economy-resource-environment-society” in each province, and divides environmental regulation tools into four categories, command-controlling, economy-stimulating, harness-inputting and public-participating, and establishes a spatial Durbin model and threshold effect model to include that heterogeneously environmental regulations impose direct, indirect and spatial overflow effects on green total factor productivity if adjusted by energy consumption structure. Economy-stimulating and public-participating environmental regulations impact GTFP locally and neighboring areas through adjusting energy consumption structure. Command-controlling, economy-stimulating and public-participating environmental regulations impact GFTP through a threshold effect. Under adjustment of energy consumption structure, indirect effect of command-controlling and economy-stimulating environmental regulations on GTFP also through a threshold effect. This paper suggests that governments shall consider the interaction of other energy consumption structures in making environmental regulations, and adopt appropriate regulations and intensity to apply in areas with different energy consumption levels.
