ENVIRONMENTAL SURROUNDINGS AND PERSONAL WELL-BEING IN URBAN CHINA

Russell Smyth, Ingrid Nielsen, Qingguo Zhai, Tiemin Liu, Yin Liu, Chunyong Tang, Zhihong Wang, Zuxiang Wang and Juyong Zhang

No 11-09, Development Research Unit Working Paper Series from Monash University, Department of Economics

Abstract: We examine the relationship between atmospheric pollution, water pollution, traffic congestion, access to parkland and personal well-being using a survey administered across six Chinese cities in 2007. In contrast to existing studies of the determinants of well-being by economists, which have typically employed single item indicators to measure well-being, we use the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI). We also employ the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) to measure job satisfaction, which is one of the variables for which we control when examining the relationship between environmental surroundings and personal well-being. Previous research by psychologists has shown the PWI and JSS to have good psychometric properties in western and Chinese samples. A robust finding is that in cities with higher levels of atmospheric pollution and traffic congestion, respondents report lower levels of personal well-being ceteris paribus. Specifically, we find that a one standard deviation increase in suspended particles or sulphur dioxide emissions is roughly equivalent to a 12-13 per cent reduction in average monthly income in the six cities.

Keywords: China; Environment; Pollution; Personal Well-Being. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 D60 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 37 pages
Date: 2009-06-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-ene, nep-env, nep-hap and nep-tra
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