Measuring public support towards different clean air targets in China

IF 5.4 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Yining Huang , Miaomiao Liu , Jianxun Yang , Wen Fang , Zongwei Ma , Jun Bi
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Following remarkable achievements in air quality improvement, China has transitioned into a period of relatively low pollution levels, promoting discussions on further upgrading air quality standards. Effective policy-making depends not only on cost-effectiveness but also heavily on the public’s willingness to support such initiatives. Previous studies on willingness-to-pay (WTP) inadequately distinguished between the impacts of objective pollution levels and subjective cognitions, as well as how the cognitive relationships formed by these two factors affect WTP decisions. This study examines public willingness to support two different air quality improvement scenarios and investigates the underlying mechanisms influencing WTP decisions. Utilizing nationwide survey data from 7457 Chinese respondents and employing a two-part regression model, we found the average WTP to reduce PM2.5 concentrations by 10 % (below 30 µg/m³) and to achieve levels below 5 µg/m³ were 277 and 295 CNY, respectively. Residents demonstrated significantly greater participation willingness and contribute higher amounts when presented with stricter air quality targets (p < 0.05). Subjective cognitions, rather than objective pollution levels, primarily shape WTP through two distinct pathways: external factors (e.g., trust in government) influence initial participation willingness, while internal factors (e.g., perceived risk control) determine payment amounts. Additionally, pessimistic cognitive biases- low acceptance of air quality despite low pollution levels- significantly reduced individuals' likelihood of contributing (p < 0.05). Our findings highlight distinct cognitive mechanisms underlying WTP decisions, suggesting tailored strategies to encourage collective action to further improve air quality and overcome pessimistic biases.
衡量公众对中国不同清洁空气目标的支持度
在空气质量改善取得显著成效之后,中国进入了相对低污染时期,推动了进一步提升空气质量标准的讨论。有效的政策制定不仅取决于成本效益,而且在很大程度上取决于公众是否愿意支持这些措施。以往关于支付意愿(WTP)的研究没有充分区分客观污染水平和主观认知的影响,以及这两个因素形成的认知关系如何影响WTP决策。本研究考察公众支持两种不同空气质素改善方案的意愿,并探讨影响WTP决策的潜在机制。利用7457名中国受访者的全国调查数据,并采用两部分回归模型,我们发现将PM2.5浓度降低10%(低于30微克/立方米)和达到低于5微克/立方米的平均WTP分别为277元和295元。当提出更严格的空气质量目标时,居民表现出更大的参与意愿和更高的捐款(p <;0.05)。主观认知,而不是客观污染水平,主要通过两种不同的途径塑造WTP:外部因素(如对政府的信任)影响初始参与意愿,而内部因素(如感知风险控制)决定支付金额。此外,悲观的认知偏见——尽管污染水平较低,但对空气质量的接受度较低——显著降低了个人贡献的可能性(p <;0.05)。我们的研究结果强调了WTP决策背后的独特认知机制,提出了量身定制的策略,以鼓励集体行动,进一步改善空气质量,克服悲观偏见。
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
Resources, conservation & recycling advances
Resources, conservation & recycling advances Environmental Science (General)
CiteScore
11.70
自引率
0.00%
发文量
0
审稿时长
76 days
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