How Does the National Intellectual Property Strong County Program Improve County-Level Air Quality? Evidence from Chinese Counties

Xiaofeng Zhang, Xuefu Sun and Yu Fu ()
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Xiaofeng Zhang: School of Public Finance and Administration, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin 150028, China
Xuefu Sun: School of Public Finance and Administration, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin 150028, China
Yu Fu: School of Public Finance and Administration, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin 150028, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-25

Abstract: Intellectual property protection systems play a critical role in fostering technological innovation, and their potential influence on environmental governance warrants further exploration. This paper utilizes data from 2607 counties in China spanning from 2000 to 2022 and employs the Multiple Timepoint Difference-in-Differences (MT-DID) model to investigate the impact of the National Intellectual Property Strong County Program (NIPSC) on air quality at the county level. The results reveal that NIPSC contributes to reducing SO 2 and NH 3 concentrations, highlighting the positive role of intellectual property protection policies in enhancing environmental quality. Further mechanism analysis shows that NIPSC effectively reduces pollution emissions through mechanisms such as fostering technological innovation, upgrading industrial structures, and promoting economic agglomeration. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the NIPSC policy yields more pronounced improvements in air quality in regions that are not traditional industrial bases, possess international airports, or hold higher administrative status. This study offers a novel analytical perspective on county-level air pollution governance and presents new empirical evidence on the relationship between the NIPSC policy and environmental governance.

Keywords: national intellectual property strong county program; county air quality; air pollution treatment; multi-period DID (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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