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Who bears the environmental burden in China--An analysis of the distribution of industrial pollution sources?

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  • Ma, Chunbo

Abstract

A remaining challenge for environmental inequality researchers is to translate the principles developed in the U.S. to China which is experiencing the staggering environmental impacts of its astounding economic growth and social changes. This study builds on U.S. contemporary environmental justice literature and examines the issue of environmental inequality in China through an analysis of the geographical distribution of industrial pollution sources in Henan province. This study attempts to answer two central questions: 1) whether environmental inequality exists in China and if it does, 2) what socioeconomic lenses can be used to identify environmental inequality. The study found that: 1) race and income--the two common lenses used in many U.S. studies play different roles in the Chinese context; 2) rural residents and especially rural migrants are disproportionately exposed to industrial pollution.

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  • Ma, Chunbo, 2010. "Who bears the environmental burden in China--An analysis of the distribution of industrial pollution sources?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 1869-1876, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:69:y:2010:i:9:p:1869-1876
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    1. > Environmental and Natural Resource Economics > Environmental Economics > Environmental justice

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    3. Qi He & Ran Wang & Han Ji & Gaoyang Wei & Jincheng Wang & Jingwen Liu, 2019. "Theoretical Model of Environmental Justice and Environmental Inequality in China’s Four Major Economic Zones," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Chakraborti, Lopamudra & Shimshack, Jay P., 2022. "Environmental disparities in urban Mexico: Evidence from toxic water pollution," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    5. Grineski, Sara & Collins, Tim & Renteria, Roger & Rubio, Ricardo, 2021. "Multigenerational immigrant trajectories and children's unequal exposure to fine particulate matter in the US," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    6. Zhang, Cong & Tao, Ran & Yue, Zihang & Su, Fubing, 2023. "Regional competition, rural pollution haven and environmental injustice in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    7. Schoolman, Ethan D. & Ma, Chunbo, 2012. "Migration, class and environmental inequality: Exposure to pollution in China's Jiangsu Province," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 140-151.
    8. Zhou, Liang & Chen, Wei & Xu, Shang, 2022. "Do rural residents care about domestic waste management? A hedonic analysis of housing prices in rural China," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322212, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Liu, Ying & Huang, Jikun & Zikhali, Precious, 2016. "The bittersweet fruits of industrialization in rural China: The cost of environment and the benefit from off-farm employment," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-10.
    10. Davide, Di Fonzo & Alessandra, Fabri & Roberto, Pasetto, 2022. "Distributive justice in environmental health hazards from industrial contamination: A systematic review of national and near-national assessments of social inequalities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    11. Roberto Pasetto & Benedetta Mattioli & Daniela Marsili, 2019. "Environmental Justice in Industrially Contaminated Sites. A Review of Scientific Evidence in the WHO European Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-20, March.
    12. Shi, Beibei & Jiang, Lisha & Bao, Rui & Zhang, Ziqing & Kang, YuanQi, 2023. "The impact of insurance on pollution emissions: Evidence from China's environmental pollution liability insurance," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    13. Zheng, Shiming & Yao, Rongrong & Zou, Ke, 2022. "Provincial environmental inequality in China: Measurement, influence, and policy instrument choice," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    14. Nana Liu & Chuanzhe Liu & Yufei Xia & Yi Ren & Jinzhi Liang, 2020. "Examining the Coordination Between Green Finance and Green Economy Aiming for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-26, May.
    15. Qi He & Hong Fang & Han Ji & Siran Fang, 2017. "Environmental Inequality in China: A “Pyramid Model” and Nationwide Pilot Analysis of Prefectures with Sources of Industrial Pollution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-18, October.
    16. Pan, Dan & Chen, Huan, 2021. "Border pollution reduction in China: The role of livestock environmental regulations," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    17. Li, Hao & Guo, Huanxiu & Huang, Naqun & Ye, Jingjing, 2020. "Health risks of exposure to waste pollution: Evidence from Beijing," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
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    19. Hang XIONG & Chloé DUVIVIER, 2011. "Transboundary Pollution in China: A Study of Polluting Firms' Location Choices in Hebei Province," Working Papers 201117, CERDI.

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