IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i17p9006-d622647.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evaluation of the Policy Effect of China’s Environmental Interview System for Effective Air Quality Governance

Author

Listed:
  • Xue Jin

    (School of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
    Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
    Ocean Development Research Institute, Major Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China)

  • Ussif Rashid Sumaila

    (Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
    School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
    Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Kedong Yin

    (Institute of Marine Economy and Management, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China
    School of Management Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China)

  • Zhichao Qi

    (School of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China)

Abstract

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China formally proposed an environmental interview system in May 2014, which applies pressure on local governments to fulfill their responsibility toward environmental protection by conducting face-to-face public interviews with their officials. In this paper, 48 cities that were publicly interviewed from 2014–2020 were considered the experimental group and 48 cities surrounding them were the control group. First, the dynamic panel model is applied to initially determine the effect of the policy. Then, a regression discontinuity method (Sharp RD) is used to analyze the short-term and long-term effects and compare the reasons for the differences observed among the estimates of various types of samples. Finally, a series of robustness tests were also conducted. The results show that the environmental interview system can improve air quality. However, because an emergency short-term local governance system exists at present, the governance effect is not long-term and, therefore, not sustainable. Therefore, it suggests that the government should continue to improve the environmental interview system, establish an optimal environmental protection incentive mechanism, and encourage local governments to implement environmental protection policies effectively in the long term. The results of the research are of great significance to the environmental impact assessment system of the world, especially in countries with similar economic systems, which are facing a trade-off between economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Xue Jin & Ussif Rashid Sumaila & Kedong Yin & Zhichao Qi, 2021. "Evaluation of the Policy Effect of China’s Environmental Interview System for Effective Air Quality Governance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-20, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9006-:d:622647
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9006/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9006/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jasper N. Meya, 2020. "Environmental Inequality and Economic Valuation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(2), pages 235-270, July.
    2. Zhang, Bing & Chen, Xiaolan & Guo, Huanxiu, 2018. "Does central supervision enhance local environmental enforcement? Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 70-90.
    3. David S. Lee & Thomas Lemieux, 2010. "Regression Discontinuity Designs in Economics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 48(2), pages 281-355, June.
    4. Jiayu Wang & Ke Wang & Xunpeng Shi & Yi-Ming Wei, 2019. "Spatial heterogeneity and driving forces of environmental productivity growth in China: Would it help to switch pollutant discharge fees to environmental taxes?," CEEP-BIT Working Papers 123, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEP), Beijing Institute of Technology.
    5. Chenlu Tao & Gang Diao & Baodong Cheng, 2021. "The Dynamic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality: The Beijing Lessons," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-12, June.
    6. Kenneth Y. Chay & Michael Greenstone, 2003. "The Impact of Air Pollution on Infant Mortality: Evidence from Geographic Variation in Pollution Shocks Induced by a Recession," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(3), pages 1121-1167.
    7. Xue Jin & U. Rashid Sumaila & Kedong Yin, 2020. "Direct and Indirect Loss Evaluation of Storm Surge Disaster Based on Static and Dynamic Input-Output Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-25, September.
    8. Ghanem, Dalia & Zhang, Junjie, 2014. "‘Effortless Perfection:’ Do Chinese cities manipulate air pollution data?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 203-225.
    9. Hering, Laura & Poncet, Sandra, 2014. "Environmental policy and exports: Evidence from Chinese cities," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 296-318.
    10. Hanlon, Michelle & Heitzman, Shane, 2010. "A review of tax research," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 127-178, December.
    11. Yin Feng & Jinhua Cheng & Jun Shen & Han Sun, 2019. "Spatial Effects of Air Pollution on Public Health in China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 73(1), pages 229-250, May.
    12. Zhu, Juan & Jiang, Dequan & Shen, Yongjian & Shen, Yuxin, 2021. "Does regional air quality affect executive turnover at listed companies in China?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 428-436.
    13. Yin, Kedong & Liu, Zhe & Jin, Xue, 2020. "Interindustry volatility spillover effects in China’s stock market," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 539(C).
    14. Viard, V. Brian & Fu, Shihe, 2015. "The effect of Beijing's driving restrictions on pollution and economic activity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 98-115.
    15. Yun Jeong Choi & Kyoung Soo Hahn, 2014. "How Does A Corporate Leniency Program Affect Cartel Stability? Empirical Evidence From Korea," Journal of Competition Law and Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(4), pages 883-907.
    16. Antimiani, Alessandro & Costantini, Valeria & Kuik, Onno & Paglialunga, Elena, 2016. "Mitigation of adverse effects on competitiveness and leakage of unilateral EU climate policy: An assessment of policy instruments," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 246-259.
    17. Yifei Zhang & Sheng Li & Fang Zhang, 2020. "Does an Emissions Trading Policy Improve Environmental Efficiency? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, March.
    18. Yunchan Zhu & Shuo Han & Yimeng Zhang & Qi Huang, 2021. "Evaluating the Effect of Government Emission Reduction Policy: Evidence from Demonstration Cities in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-16, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xiaoyang Xu & Yufan Xie & Emma Serwaa Obobisa & Huaping Sun, 2023. "Has the establishment of green finance reform and innovation pilot zones improved air quality? Evidence from China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Wang, Shanyong & Zhang, Rongwei & Wan, Liang & Chen, Jiusong, 2023. "Has Central Government Environmental Protection Interview Improved Air Quality in China?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    3. Zeng, Juying & Blanco-González-Tejero, Cristina & Sendra, F. Javier, 2023. "The spatial difference-in-difference measurement of policy effect of environmental protection interview on green innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kam C. Chan & Tao Chen & Baohua Liu & Junfeng Wu, 2022. "Air pollution and CEO compensation: Evidence from China," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 448-469, April.
    2. Mauricio Villamizar‐Villegas & Freddy A. Pinzon‐Puerto & Maria Alejandra Ruiz‐Sanchez, 2022. "A comprehensive history of regression discontinuity designs: An empirical survey of the last 60 years," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1130-1178, September.
    3. Weibing Li & Yongwen Yang, 2024. "The effect of environmental centralisation on productivity: Evidence from an administrative reform in China," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(2), pages 824-851, March.
    4. Chen, Xiao & Guo, Gangxing, 2024. "Air pollution and online lender behavior: Evidence from Chinese peer-to-peer lending," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    5. Shi, Xinzheng & Zhang, Ming-ang, 2023. "Waste import and air pollution: Evidence from China's waste import ban," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    6. Zhang, Wei & Lin Lawell, C.-Y. Cynthia & Umanskaya, Victoria I., 2017. "The effects of license plate-based driving restrictions on air quality: Theory and empirical evidence," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 181-220.
    7. Xu, Jian & Zheng, Jiaxing, 2022. "Mass media, air quality, and management turnover," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    8. Ye, Jingjing & Qin, Zhilong & Chen, Xiaoguang, 2021. "Adapt by adopting cleaner vehicles? — Evidence from a low-emission zone policy in Nanchang, China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. Zhihua Tian & Yanfang Tian & Yang Chen & Shuai Shao, 2020. "The economic consequences of environmental regulation in China: From a perspective of the environmental protection admonishing talk policy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 1723-1733, May.
    10. Min Zhang & Seung‐hun Chung, 2020. "Is air pollution detrimental to regional innovation? Evidence from Chinese cities," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 1657-1689, December.
    11. Tong Liu & Guojun He & Alexis Lau, 2018. "Avoidance behavior against air pollution: evidence from online search indices for anti-PM2.5 masks and air filters in Chinese cities," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 20(2), pages 325-363, April.
    12. Li, Ke & Yuan, Weihong & Li, Jianglong & Ai, Hongshan, 2021. "Effects of time-dependent environmental regulations on air pollution: Evidence from the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan region, China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    13. Liu, Haoming & Salvo, Alberto, 2017. "Severe Air Pollution and School Absences: Longitudinal Data on Expatriates in North China," IZA Discussion Papers 11134, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Stefan Bauernschuster & Timo Hener & Helmut Rainer, 2017. "When Labor Disputes Bring Cities to a Standstill: The Impact of Public Transit Strikes on Traffic, Accidents, Air Pollution, and Health," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(1), pages 1-37, February.
    15. Nan Hu & Xingnan Xue & Ling Liu, 2022. "The impact of air pollution on financial reporting quality: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(3), pages 3609-3644, September.
    16. Li, Shanjun & Liu, Yanyan & Purevjav, Avralt-Od & Yang, Lin, 2019. "Does subway expansion improve air quality?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 213-235.
    17. Shilei Liu & Jinlei Qi & Jintao Xu & Yuanyuan Yi & Peng Yin & Maigeng Zhou, 2024. "Forest Mitigates Short-Term Health Risk of Air Pollution: Evidence from China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(8), pages 2163-2204, August.
    18. Yuping Deng & Yanrui Wu & Helian Xu, 2022. "Emission Reduction and Value-added Export Nexus at Firm Level," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 22-19, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    19. Kiesewetter, Dirk & Manthey, Johannes, 2017. "The relationship between corporate governance and tax avoidance - evidence from Germany using a regression discontinuity design," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 218, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    20. Xu, Shang & Allen Klaiber, H., 2019. "The impact of new natural gas pipelines on emissions and fuel consumption in China," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 49-62.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9006-:d:622647. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.