What Causes Haze Pollution? An Empirical Study of PM 2.5 Concentrations in Chinese Cities

Jiannan Wu, Pan Zhang, Hongtao Yi and Zhao Qin
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Jiannan Wu: School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
Pan Zhang: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi, China
Hongtao Yi: John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Zhao Qin: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi, China

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: In recent years, many areas of China have suffered from serious haze pollution, which greatly affects human health and daily life. It is of policy importance to understand the factors that influence the spatial concentration of PM 2.5 . Based on data from 74 cities with PM 2.5 monitoring stations in 2013 and 2014, this study presents the overall haze situation in China and explores the determinants of PM 2.5 using a random-effects model, as well as a set of OLS regressions. The results indicate that PM 2.5 is significantly correlated with the industrial proportion, the number of motor vehicles, and household gas consumption, while public financial expenditure on energy saving and environmental protection does not show statistically significant effects. The analysis implies that China should adjust its economic structure and optimizes environmental governance to effectively respond to haze pollution.

Keywords: haze; PM 2.5; China; environmental governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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