Pollution Control and Well-Being in Rural Areas: A Study Based on Survey Data

Qi Zhou, Jun Chen, Shanqing Liu, Fengxiu Zhou and Huwei Wen ()
Additional contact information
Qi Zhou: School of Marxism, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Jun Chen: School of Marxism, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Shanqing Liu: Institute of Soviet Area Revitalization, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Fengxiu Zhou: School of Business, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Huwei Wen: School of Economics and Management, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Pollution control is of great value in order to achieve sustainable development and meet the needs of human development. This paper utilizes data from four rounds of longitudinal surveys conducted between 2012 and 2018 as part of the China Labor Force Dynamic Survey. Employing multiple linear regression methods, it empirically investigates the impact of pollution control on the well-being of rural residents. Empirical results show that even after accounting for individual, village, and family characteristics, pollution control significantly affects the happiness of rural residents. Notably, water pollution control emerges as having the most pronounced impact on rural residents’ happiness. Furthermore, pollution control enhances the well-being of rural residents by improving the village environment, fostering family harmony, and enhancing the physical and mental health of individuals. A heterogeneity analysis indicates that pollution control exerts a stronger influence on the happiness of residents in the central and western region and ordinary villages, while its impact is somewhat weaker in the eastern region. Addressing the pollution issue remains imperative, along with stimulating the endogenous drivers of rural ecological revitalization, enhancing the effectiveness of grassroots governance in rural areas, and continually bolstering the sense of well-being and happiness among the populace.

Keywords: pollution control; rural residents; happiness; ecological civilization; heterogeneity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/3/1334/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/3/1334/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:3:p:1334-:d:1333654

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().