Determinants and action paths of transboundary water pollution collaborative governance: A case study of the Yangtze River Basin, China

With rapid economic growth, the issue of water pollution has become increasingly prominent, and there is a consensus that river basin management systems and cross-regional management coordination mechanisms need improving. In this study, 171 transboundary sections of the Yangtze River Basin were matched with the data of 57 cities to construct panel data from 2015 to 2021. Based on the four-dimensional framework of environment–determination–process–resources, the dynamic qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) method is used to identify the key influencing factors and action paths of water pollution collaborative governance effects. The results show that a single antecedent condition is not necessary to achieve efficient collaborative governance effects, and only the “number of collaborative governance” and “scale of collaboration” conditions played important roles. There are five paths that can achieve efficient collaborative governance effects: economy-oriented, ecology-oriented, technology-oriented, government-oriented, and all-oriented. Additionally, heterogeneous results show that the impact of the regional governance intention on efficient collaborative governance effect is limited in the middle and upstream sections of the Yangtze River Basin, while the downstream sections are more dependent on the basic condition of the basin. The results can help promote effective cross-regional collaboration in the Yangtze River Basin, provide scientific basis for regions to formulate targeted governance measures, and provide models for governance in other regions. •A four-dimensional framework is proposed to analyze transboundary water pollution collaborative governance.•Dynamic QCA method is employed to explore complex factor combinations influencing collaborative governance effectiveness.•Five distinct pathways are identified for effective water pollution collaborative governance.•Regional heterogeneity in collaborative governance is highlighted.•Theapproach and findings can serve as a reference for other regions facing similar transboundary water pollution challenges.