Do Urban Subway Openings Reduce PM 2.5 Concentrations? Evidence from China

Hongyou Lu, Yunchan Zhu, Yu Qi and Jinliang Yu
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Hongyou Lu: Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Yunchan Zhu: Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Yu Qi: School of Public Finance and Taxation, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
Jinliang Yu: Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-24

Abstract: With the fast-growing consumption of automobiles in China, vehicle fumes appear to be one of the major contributors to PM 2.5 (fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less) emissions. As a type of green transportation, Chinese urban subway transit has developed rapidly in recent years. This paper estimates the effect of urban subway openings on PM 2.5 concentrations in Chinese cities. Using daily air quality data for 29 Chinese cities from 2013 to 2018, and using regression discontinuity design, we find that new subway openings reduce PM 2.5 concentrations by an average of 18 μg/m 3 . The potential mechanism for this emission reduction is due to the offset in on-road transportation, and the use of cleaner energy. Also, central heating in winter, population scale, and city tier play crucial roles in the emission-reducing effect of subway openings. A series of robustness tests are conducted to support the fundamental empirical results. Targeted policy implications, such as optimizing the planning of urban subway construction and road network, fostering awareness of green travel, and promoting the innovation of emission-reducing technologies, are suggested for sustainable development in Chinese cities.

Keywords: urban subway openings; PM 2.5 concentrations; regression discontinuity design; green transportation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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