Using a relational two-stage network data envelopment analysis (DEA) model considering undesirable outputs, this paper evaluates both the process and system performances of industrial environmental governance in China’s 30 provincial-level regions during 1998–2015. Furthermore, this is the first study to apply the spatial econometric models with a geographical distance matrix to investigate the local and spatial spillover effects of environmental regulations on heterogeneous environmental governance performance (i.e. clean production and end-of-pipe treatment performances). The results...