Does Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy Alleviate Urban Haze Pollution? Empirical Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China

Jinling Yan, Junfeng Zhao, Xiaodong Yang, Xufeng Su, Hailing Wang, Qiying Ran and Jianliang Shen
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Jinling Yan: College of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China
Junfeng Zhao: College of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China
Xiaodong Yang: College of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China
Xufeng Su: College of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China
Hailing Wang: College of Economics and Management, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China
Qiying Ran: Department of Business and Economics, Shanghai Business School, Shanghai 200235, China
Jianliang Shen: Center for Arid Region Rural Development Research, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830047, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: As a comprehensive environmental regulation, the low-carbon city pilot policy (LCCP) may have an impact on haze pollution. The evaluation of the effectiveness of LCCP on haze pollution is greatly significant for air pollution prevention and control. Taking LCCP as the starting point, in this study we constructed DID, PSM-DID, and intermediary effect models to empirically test the impact and mechanism of LCCP on haze pollution, based on the panel data of 271 cities in China from 2005 to 2018. The findings show that (1) LCCP has significantly reduced the urban haze pollution, and the average annual concentration of PM2.5 in pilot cities decreased by 14.29%. (2) LCCP can inhibit haze pollution by promoting technological innovation, upgrading the industrial structure, and reducing energy consumption. Among these impacts, the effect of technological innovation is the strongest, followed by industrial structure, and energy consumption. (3) LCCP has significantly curbed the haze pollution of non-resource dependent cities, Eastern cities, and large cities, but exerted little impact on resource-dependent cities, Central and Western regions, and small and medium-sized cities. (4) LCCP has a spatial spillover effect. It can inhibit the haze pollution of adjacent cities through demonstration and warning effects. This study enriches the relevant research on LCCP and provides empirical support and policy enlightenment for pollution reduction.

Keywords: low-carbon city pilot policy; haze pollution; quasi-natural experiment; DID model; spatial spillover effect (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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