Analysis of the government environmental attention on tackling air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions through a spatial econometric approach

The government plays a significant role in environmental management in China. By using data from 274 Chinese prefecture-level cities spanning 2008 to 2020, this study innovatively explores the influence of government environmental attention (GEA) on cutting PM_2.5 and CO₂ emissions. Unlike previous works, this study focuses on three aspects. First, GEA is quantified, and its significant impact on driving emission reductions is analyzed using the spatial Durbin model. This method captures spatial spillover effects and inter-regional dependencies, offering a more precise and comprehensive understanding of strategic government preferences for reducing air pollutant emissions. Second, this study uncovers spatial heterogeneity in the effectiveness of GEA, underscoring the necessity for region-specific policies and the accelerated construction of national carbon emission trading scheme. Additionally, this study reveals the moderating effect of local government officials' personal characteristics on the linkage between GEA and emission reduction outcomes. To maximize the co-benefits of controlling both air pollution and carbon emissions effectively, policies are recommended based on outcomes of study, such as the measure of collaborative control should be promoted, the heterogeneity of regional development should be addressed in future policy design and implementation.