Regional Cooperative Pollution Control and Residents’ Health Expenditures: Empirical Evidence from China
,
Abstract
Background: Environmental pollution seriously damages not only the ecosystem but also the well-being of residents. There is an association between air pollution and residential health expenditures. The aim of this study was to identify the association between pollution control and residents’ health expenditures.
Methods: Using the pilot project of the regional cooperative pollution control in 28 cities required by the Chinese government as the quasi-natural experiment setting and the panel data of residents’ health expenditures in China from 2014 to 2017, the impact of pollution control on residents’ health expenditures was systematically explored through difference-in-difference approach.
Results: Air quality of the 28 cities that adopted the regional cooperative pollution control policy improves significantly, thus indicating that this policy effectively solves the self-interest issue of local governments in pollution control, and residents’ health expenditures consequently decrease.
Conclusion: This study enriches the paradigm that analyzes the relationship between air pollution and residents’ health expenditures and reveals the mechanism through which the regional cooperative pollution control reduces residents’ health expenditures.
1. Mead RW, Brajer V (2005). Protecting Chi-na’s children: valuing the health impacts of reduced air pollution in Chinese cities. Environ Dev Econ, 10(6): 745-68.
2. Narayan PK, Narayan S (2008). Does envi-ronmental quality influence health ex-penditures? Empirical evidence from a panel of selected OECD countries. Ecol Econ, 65(2): 367-74.
3. Jerrett M, Finkelstein MM, Brook JR et al (2009). A Cohort Study of Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Mortality in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Environ Health Perspect, 117(5): 772-7.
4. Dales RE, Cakmak S, Vidal CB (2009). Air Pollution and Hospitalization for Head-ache in Chile. Am J Epidemiol, 170(8): 1057-66.
5. China’s State Council (2006). China’s 11th Five-Year Plan. Available from: http://www.gov.cn/ztzl/gmjj/index.htm
6. Zupancic D, Buchmeister B, Aljaz T (2017). Reducing the Time of Task Execution with Existing Resources – Comparison of Approaches. Int J Simul Model, 16(3): 484-96.
7. Chang MC, Shieh HS (2017). The Relations between Energy Efficiency and GDP in the Baltic Sea Region and Non-Baltic Sea Region. Transform Bus Econ, 16(2): 235-47.
8. O’Toole Jr LJ (2000). Research on Policy Implementation: Assessment and Pro-spects. J Publ Adm Res Theor, 10(2): 263-88.
9. Bina O (2010). Environmental Governance in China: Weakness and Potential from an Environmental Policy Integration Per-spective. China Rev, 10(1): 207-40.
10. Maskin ES (2008). Mechanism Design: How to Implement Social Goals. Am Econ Rev, 98(3): 567-76.
11. Maskin ES, Qian Y, Xu CG (2000). Incen-tives, Information and Organizational Form. Rev Econ Stud, 67(2): 359-78．
12. Hahn RW, Stavins RN (1992). Economic Incentives for Environmental Protection: Integrating Theory and Practice. Amer Econ Rev, 82(2): 464-8.
13. Ran R (2013). Perverse Incentive Structure and Policy Implementation Gap in Chi-na’s Local Environmental Politics. J Envi-ron Pol Plan, 15(1): 17-39.
14. Chen Y, Jin GZ, Kumar N et al (2012). Gaming in Air Pollution data? Lessons from China. BE J Econ Anal Poli, 13(3): 1-43.
15. Ghanem D, Zhang J (2014). Effortless Per-fection: Do Chinese Cities Manipulate Air Pollution Data? J Environ Econ Manage, 68(2): 203-25.
16. Chen Y, Jin GZ, Kumar N et al (2013). The Promise of Beijing: Evaluating the Impact of the 2008 Olympic Games on Air Quality. J Environ Econ Manage, 66(3): 424-43.
17. Wang HB, Zhao LJ, Xie YJ et al (2016). “APEC blue”-The effects and implica-tions of joint pollution prevention and control program. Sci Total Environ, 122(2): 429-38.
18. Shi G, Wang JN, Fu F et al (2017). A study on trans-boundary air pollution based on a game theory model: Cases of SO2 emission reductions in the cities of Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan in China. Atmos Pollut Res, 8(2): 244-52.
19. Zhao L, Xue J, Li C (2013). A bi-level model for transferable pollutant prices to miti-gate China’s interprovincial air pollution control problem. Atmos Pollut Res, 4(4): 446-53.
20. Ambrey C, Fleming C (2014). Public green space and life satisfaction in urban Aus-tralia. Urban Stud, 51(6): 1290-321.
21. Newhouse JP (1977). Medical-Care Ex-penditure: A Cross-National Survey. J Hum Resour, 12(1): 115-25.
22. Duchin R, Ozbas O, Sensoy BA (2010). Costly External Finance, Corporate In-vestment, and the Subprime Mortgage Credit Crisis. J Financ Econ, 97(3): 418-35.
23. Bertrand M, Mullainathan S (2003). Enjoying the Quiet Life? Corporate Governance and Managerial Control. J Polit Econ, 111(5): 1043-75.
24. Heckman JJ (1979). Sample Selection Bias as a Specification Error. Econometrica, 47(1): 153-61.
25. Zhang X (2017). Implementation of Pollu-tion Control Targets in China: Has a Centralized Enforcement Approach Worked? The China Quart, 231: 749-74
26. Xie Y, Zhao L, Xue J et al (2018). Methods for defining the scopes and priorities for joint prevention and control of air pollu-tion regions based on data-mining tech-nologies. J Clean Prod, 185: 912-21.
27. Wang Q, Yuan X, Zuo J et al (2014). Dy-namics of Sewage Charge Policies, Envi-ronmental Protection Industry and Pol-luting Enterprises: A C5ase Study in Chi-na. Sustainability, 6(8): 4858-76.
28. Huang K, Zhang X, Lin Y (2015). The “APEC Blue” phenomenon: Regional emission control effects observed from space. Atmos Res, 164-165: 65-75.
29. Chen L, Guo B, Huang JS et al (2018). As-sessing air-quality in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: The method and mixed tales of PM2.5 and O3. Atmos Environ, 193: 290-301.
30. Wang W, Primbs T, Tao S et al (2009). At-mospheric Particulate Matter Pollution during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Environ Sci Technol, 43(14): 5314-20.
31. Li X, Qiao YB, Zhu JM et al (2017). The “APEC blue” endeavor: Causal effects of air pollution regulation on air quality in China. J Clean Prod, 168: 1381-8.
32. Jerrett M, Eyles J, Dufournaud C et al (2003). Environmental influences on health care expenditures: An exploratory analysis from Ontario, Canada. J Epidemiol Community Health, 57(5): 334-8.
2. Narayan PK, Narayan S (2008). Does envi-ronmental quality influence health ex-penditures? Empirical evidence from a panel of selected OECD countries. Ecol Econ, 65(2): 367-74.
3. Jerrett M, Finkelstein MM, Brook JR et al (2009). A Cohort Study of Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Mortality in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Environ Health Perspect, 117(5): 772-7.
4. Dales RE, Cakmak S, Vidal CB (2009). Air Pollution and Hospitalization for Head-ache in Chile. Am J Epidemiol, 170(8): 1057-66.
5. China’s State Council (2006). China’s 11th Five-Year Plan. Available from: http://www.gov.cn/ztzl/gmjj/index.htm
6. Zupancic D, Buchmeister B, Aljaz T (2017). Reducing the Time of Task Execution with Existing Resources – Comparison of Approaches. Int J Simul Model, 16(3): 484-96.
7. Chang MC, Shieh HS (2017). The Relations between Energy Efficiency and GDP in the Baltic Sea Region and Non-Baltic Sea Region. Transform Bus Econ, 16(2): 235-47.
8. O’Toole Jr LJ (2000). Research on Policy Implementation: Assessment and Pro-spects. J Publ Adm Res Theor, 10(2): 263-88.
9. Bina O (2010). Environmental Governance in China: Weakness and Potential from an Environmental Policy Integration Per-spective. China Rev, 10(1): 207-40.
10. Maskin ES (2008). Mechanism Design: How to Implement Social Goals. Am Econ Rev, 98(3): 567-76.
11. Maskin ES, Qian Y, Xu CG (2000). Incen-tives, Information and Organizational Form. Rev Econ Stud, 67(2): 359-78．
12. Hahn RW, Stavins RN (1992). Economic Incentives for Environmental Protection: Integrating Theory and Practice. Amer Econ Rev, 82(2): 464-8.
13. Ran R (2013). Perverse Incentive Structure and Policy Implementation Gap in Chi-na’s Local Environmental Politics. J Envi-ron Pol Plan, 15(1): 17-39.
14. Chen Y, Jin GZ, Kumar N et al (2012). Gaming in Air Pollution data? Lessons from China. BE J Econ Anal Poli, 13(3): 1-43.
15. Ghanem D, Zhang J (2014). Effortless Per-fection: Do Chinese Cities Manipulate Air Pollution Data? J Environ Econ Manage, 68(2): 203-25.
16. Chen Y, Jin GZ, Kumar N et al (2013). The Promise of Beijing: Evaluating the Impact of the 2008 Olympic Games on Air Quality. J Environ Econ Manage, 66(3): 424-43.
17. Wang HB, Zhao LJ, Xie YJ et al (2016). “APEC blue”-The effects and implica-tions of joint pollution prevention and control program. Sci Total Environ, 122(2): 429-38.
18. Shi G, Wang JN, Fu F et al (2017). A study on trans-boundary air pollution based on a game theory model: Cases of SO2 emission reductions in the cities of Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan in China. Atmos Pollut Res, 8(2): 244-52.
19. Zhao L, Xue J, Li C (2013). A bi-level model for transferable pollutant prices to miti-gate China’s interprovincial air pollution control problem. Atmos Pollut Res, 4(4): 446-53.
20. Ambrey C, Fleming C (2014). Public green space and life satisfaction in urban Aus-tralia. Urban Stud, 51(6): 1290-321.
21. Newhouse JP (1977). Medical-Care Ex-penditure: A Cross-National Survey. J Hum Resour, 12(1): 115-25.
22. Duchin R, Ozbas O, Sensoy BA (2010). Costly External Finance, Corporate In-vestment, and the Subprime Mortgage Credit Crisis. J Financ Econ, 97(3): 418-35.
23. Bertrand M, Mullainathan S (2003). Enjoying the Quiet Life? Corporate Governance and Managerial Control. J Polit Econ, 111(5): 1043-75.
24. Heckman JJ (1979). Sample Selection Bias as a Specification Error. Econometrica, 47(1): 153-61.
25. Zhang X (2017). Implementation of Pollu-tion Control Targets in China: Has a Centralized Enforcement Approach Worked? The China Quart, 231: 749-74
26. Xie Y, Zhao L, Xue J et al (2018). Methods for defining the scopes and priorities for joint prevention and control of air pollu-tion regions based on data-mining tech-nologies. J Clean Prod, 185: 912-21.
27. Wang Q, Yuan X, Zuo J et al (2014). Dy-namics of Sewage Charge Policies, Envi-ronmental Protection Industry and Pol-luting Enterprises: A C5ase Study in Chi-na. Sustainability, 6(8): 4858-76.
28. Huang K, Zhang X, Lin Y (2015). The “APEC Blue” phenomenon: Regional emission control effects observed from space. Atmos Res, 164-165: 65-75.
29. Chen L, Guo B, Huang JS et al (2018). As-sessing air-quality in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: The method and mixed tales of PM2.5 and O3. Atmos Environ, 193: 290-301.
30. Wang W, Primbs T, Tao S et al (2009). At-mospheric Particulate Matter Pollution during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Environ Sci Technol, 43(14): 5314-20.
31. Li X, Qiao YB, Zhu JM et al (2017). The “APEC blue” endeavor: Causal effects of air pollution regulation on air quality in China. J Clean Prod, 168: 1381-8.
32. Jerrett M, Eyles J, Dufournaud C et al (2003). Environmental influences on health care expenditures: An exploratory analysis from Ontario, Canada. J Epidemiol Community Health, 57(5): 334-8.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 48 No 6 (2019) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v48i6.2900 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Air pollution Residents’ health expenditures Regional cooperative pollution control | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
DAI Y, TAN Z, TAN J, YAN L. Regional Cooperative Pollution Control and Residents’ Health Expenditures: Empirical Evidence from China. Iran J Public Health. 2019;48(6):1033-1042.
