Urbanization Paradox of Environmental Policies in Korean Local Governments

Yongrok Choi, Hyoungsuk Lee (), Hojin Jeong () and Jahira Debbarma
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Yongrok Choi: Department of International Trade, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
Hyoungsuk Lee: Energy Environment Policy and Technology, Graduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST Green School), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
Hojin Jeong: Program of Industrial Security Governance, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
Jahira Debbarma: Program of Industrial Security Governance, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Many developing countries have been experiencing the problems of urbanization, particularly regarding carbon emission and polluted air emission mitigation. Is it possible to simultaneously achieve these two different clean and green economic strategies? This study analyzes this paradoxical issue of air pollution in terms of PM 2.5 efficiency. To evaluate the performance of regulatory policies on air pollution and to find out the governance factors, this paper adopts the stepwise approach. In the first stage, we evaluate the cross-sectional PM 2.5 efficiency of 16 Korean municipalities for the period between 2012 and 2017 and determine whether this performance is sustainable using the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI). We concluded that most local governments lack sustainable governance on regulation policies for clean air. Using the Tobit model in the second stage, this study showed that regional economic development (GRDP) and an patent for clean air technology innovation are the most important strategic factors that promote sustainability in regulation policy performance.

Keywords: PM 2.5 efficiency; policy paradox; local government; governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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