IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i16p7153-d1460175.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Influence of Regional Air Pollution Pressure on the Green Transformation of Higher Education: An Empirical Study Based on PM2.5 in Chinese Cities

Author

Listed:
  • Rui Ying

    (School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China)

  • Xiuli Wang

    (School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China)

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the pressing challenge of global climate change and the framework of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this study focuses on examining how regional air pollution pressures drive the transition towards green practices within higher education institutions (HEIs). This research begins with the painstaking manual collection and organization of green transformation data from 113 Chinese HEIs spanning the years 2017 to 2022. We construct a comprehensive green transformation index for higher education, including four dimensions: Education and Research, Operational Management Efficiency, Green Campus Construction, and Social Participation, along with 14 foundational indicators. Empirical analysis demonstrates a significant positive correlation between air pollution pressures and the green transformation of HEIs, confirming the facilitative role of government policy support and public environmental awareness in this transformative process. This study further uncovers that the timeliness and continuity of policies are crucial for HEIs in responding to environmental pressures and accelerating their green transition. Moreover, it highlights the impact of regional characteristics, revealing that HEIs in economically more advanced regions exhibit a stronger response to air pollution pressures compared with those in less developed areas. This research not only enhances understanding of the interplay among environmental policies, public engagement, and behavioral changes in HEIs but also furnishes policymakers, HEI administrators, and environmental advocates with robust empirical evidence. It underscores the urgency for multi-stakeholder collaboration, policy incentives, and the consideration of regional specifics, thereby providing strategic guidance for facilitating green transformations in HEIs and advancing the attainment of global sustainability objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Rui Ying & Xiuli Wang, 2024. "Influence of Regional Air Pollution Pressure on the Green Transformation of Higher Education: An Empirical Study Based on PM2.5 in Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-24, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:16:p:7153-:d:1460175
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/7153/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/7153/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tatyana Deryugina & Garth Heutel & Nolan H. Miller & David Molitor & Julian Reif, 2019. "The Mortality and Medical Costs of Air Pollution: Evidence from Changes in Wind Direction," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(12), pages 4178-4219, December.
    2. Shao, Yanmin & Chen, Zhongfei, 2022. "Can government subsidies promote the green technology innovation transformation? Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 716-727.
    3. Pahl-Wostl, Claudia & Tabara, David & Bouwen, Rene & Craps, Marc & Dewulf, Art & Mostert, Erik & Ridder, Dagmar & Taillieu, Tharsi, 2008. "The importance of social learning and culture for sustainable water management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 484-495, January.
    4. Evgeny Abakumov & Stanislav Beresten, 2023. "Green Campus as a Part of Environmental Management of St. Petersburg State University," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-13, August.
    5. Richard S J Tol, 2018. "The Economic Impacts of Climate Change," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 12(1), pages 4-25.
    6. Hiroko Oe & Yasuyuki Yamaoka & Hiroko Ochiai, 2022. "A Qualitative Assessment of Community Learning Initiatives for Environmental Awareness and Behaviour Change: Applying UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Framework," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-21, March.
    7. Mark Borgschulte & David Molitor & Eric Yongchen Zou, 2024. "Air Pollution and the Labor Market: Evidence from Wildfire Smoke," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 106(6), pages 1558-1575, November.
    8. Shu, Ying & Zhuang, Xiaobin & Xu, Guanghua & Zhang, Shanfei & Ying, Rui, 2024. "Peer effects, environmental regulation and environmental financial integration—Empirical evidence from listed companies in heavily polluting industries," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 1446-1458.
    9. Ingrid Mitchell & Christopher Ling & Charles Krusekopf & Susan Kerr, 2015. "Pathways toward whole community transformation: a case study on the role of school engagement and environmental education," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 279-298, April.
    10. Cosmin-Ionu? Imbriscã & Sorin-George Toma, 2020. "Social Responsibility, a Key Dimension in Developing a Sustainable Higher Education Institution: The Case of Students’ Motivation," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 22(54), pages 447-447, April.
    11. Sabine Weiland & Thomas Hickmann & Markus Lederer & Jens Marquardt & Sandra Schwindenhammer, 2021. "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Transformative Change through the Sustainable Development Goals?," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 90-95.
    12. Li, Yueshan & Mao, Jinzhou & Chen, Shoudong & Yang, Dongliang, 2022. "Tax-reducing incentive and corporate green performance: What we learn from China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 791-802.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Banzhaf, H. Spencer & Mathews, William & Walsh, Randall, 2024. "Hell with the Lid Off: Racial Segregation and Environmental Equity in America’s Most Polluted City," CEnREP Working Papers 347603, North Carolina State University, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    2. Bakkensen, Laura A. & Ma, Lala & Muehlenbachs, Lucija & Benitez, Lina, 2024. "Cumulative impacts in environmental justice: Insights from economics and policy," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    3. Alexandra E. Hill & Jesse Burkhardt & Jude Bayham & Katelyn O'Dell & Bonne Ford & Emily V. Fischer & Jeffrey R. Pierce, 2024. "Air pollution, weather, and agricultural worker productivity," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(4), pages 1329-1353, August.
    4. Clara Kögel, 2022. "The impact of air pollution on labour productivity in France," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 22020, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    5. Graff Zivin, Joshua & Liu, Tong & Song, Yingquan & Tang, Qu & Zhang, Peng, 2020. "The unintended impacts of agricultural fires: Human capital in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    6. Lu, Pin & Malone, Trey & Lusk, Jayson L. & Wu, Kaidi, 2020. "Air Pollution and (Ir)rational Food Choice," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304330, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Seung Min Kim & Kenneth Gillingham, 2024. "Air Pollution and Solar Energy: Evidence from Wildfires," CESifo Working Paper Series 10948, CESifo.
    8. Xudong An & Stuart A. Gabriel & Nitzan Tzur-Ilan, 2024. "Extreme Wildfires, Distant Air Pollution, and Household Financial Health," Working Papers 24-01, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
    9. Merfeld, Joshua D., 2023. "Air Pollution and Agricultural Productivity in a Developing Country," IZA Discussion Papers 16316, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Joaquín Bernal-Ramírez & Jair Ojeda-Joya & Camila Agudelo-Rivera & Felipe Clavijo-Ramírez & Carolina Durana-Ángel & Clark Granger-Castaño & Daniel Osorio-Rodríguez & Daniel Parra-Amado & José Pulido &, 2022. "Impacto macroeconómico del cambio climático en Colombia," Revista ESPE - Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, issue 102, pages 1-62, July.
    11. Gabriela Andrișan & Cătălin Grădinaru & Sorin-George Toma, 2022. "Circular Economy Business Models: The Case of Lush," Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, Ovidius University of Constantza, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 0(2), pages 491-497, Decembrie.
    12. Alessandro Moro, 2021. "Can capital controls promote green investments in developing countries?," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1348, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    13. Luis Guillermo Becerra-Valbuena & Jorge A. Bonilla, 2021. "Climatic shocks, air quality, and health at birth in Bogotá," Working Papers halshs-03429482, HAL.
    14. Martin Henseler & Ingmar Schumacher, 2019. "The impact of weather on economic growth and its production factors," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 154(3), pages 417-433, June.
    15. Brown, Marilyn A. & Li, Yufei & Soni, Anmol, 2020. "Are all jobs created equal? Regional employment impacts of a U.S. carbon tax," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    16. Yang Deng & Tze San Ong & Rosmila Senik, 2024. "Trick or treat? A bibliometric literature review of corporate social responsibility and earnings management," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4361-4383, September.
    17. Dinar, Ariel, 2012. "Economy-wide implications of direct and indirect policy interventions in the water sector: lessons from recent work and future research needs," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6068, The World Bank.
    18. Ju, Heng & Tang, Yao & Zhang, Meilan, 2024. "Air Pollution's Grip: Drug Cost and Its Heterogeneity in China," MPRA Paper 121154, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Sassi, Maria & Cardaci, Alberto, 2013. "Impact of rainfall pattern on cereal market and food security in Sudan: Stochastic approach and CGE model," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 321-331.
    20. Evangelina Dardati & Ramiro de Elejalde & Eugenio Giolito, 2024. "On the short‐term impact of pollution: The effect of PM 2.5 on emergency room visits," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 482-508, March.

    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:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:16:p:7153-:d:1460175. 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.