Government relocation and air pollution: Evidence from China

IF 2.9 3区经济学 Q1 ECONOMICS

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2024-09-07 DOI:10.1016/j.asieco.2024.101799

Shengfeng Lu , Yukun Sun , Hui Tian , Jing Wang

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Abstract

In the pursuit of sustainable economic development, many cities have initiated the relocation of government offices as a strategy to optimize resource allocation. This study examines the environmental impacts of local government relocations in China between 1999 and 2016, with a focus on PM2.5 concentration data in the areas surrounding the relocation sites. Utilizing a difference-in-differences estimation approach, our findings indicate that (1) relocating local government offices significantly reduces pollution levels in nearby areas, with more pronounced effects closer to the relocation site; (2) environmental quality improvements intensify over time before stabilizing; (3) the relocation reform enhances the overall environmental quality of the entire city; and (4) government site relocations ultimately lead to regional environmental quality improvements by fostering the development of clean industries and reducing industrial pollution emissions. These results underscore the policy significance of green development principles and the spatial optimization of public resources.

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政府搬迁与空气污染：来自中国的证据

在追求经济可持续发展的过程中，许多城市将政府机构搬迁作为优化资源配置的一项战略。本研究考察了 1999 年至 2016 年间中国地方政府搬迁对环境的影响，重点关注搬迁地周边地区 PM2.5 浓度数据。利用差分估计方法，我们的研究结果表明：（1）地方政府办公楼搬迁显著降低了附近地区的污染水平，离搬迁地越近，效果越明显；（2）环境质量的改善在稳定之前会随着时间的推移而加剧；（3）搬迁改革提升了整个城市的整体环境质量；（4）政府办公楼搬迁通过促进清洁产业的发展和减少工业污染排放，最终导致区域环境质量的改善。这些结果凸显了绿色发展原则和公共资源空间优化的政策意义。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Asian Economics ECONOMICS-

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

9.40%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Journal of Asian Economics provides a forum for publication of increasingly growing research in Asian economic studies and a unique forum for continental Asian economic studies with focus on (i) special studies in adaptive innovation paradigms in Asian economic regimes, (ii) studies relative to unique dimensions of Asian economic development paradigm, as they are investigated by researchers, (iii) comparative studies of development paradigms in other developing continents, Latin America and Africa, (iv) the emerging new pattern of comparative advantages between Asian countries and the United States and North America.