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Ambiguous Air Pollution Effects of China's COVID-19 Lock-Down

Author

Listed:
  • Douglas Almond
  • Xinming Du
  • Valerie J. Karplus
  • Shuang Zhang

Abstract

Reductions in ambient pollution have been suggested as a "silver lining" to the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyze China's pollution monitor data and account for the large annual improvements in air quality following the Lunar New Year, which essentially coincided with lock-downs. With the exception of nitrogen dioxide, China's air quality improvements in 2020 are smaller than we should expect near the pandemic's epicenter, Hubei province. We see smaller improvements in sulfur dioxide than expected, while ozone concentrations roughly doubled in Hubei. Similar patterns are found for the six provinces neighboring Hubei. We conclude that COVID-19 had ambiguous impacts on China's air quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Douglas Almond & Xinming Du & Valerie J. Karplus & Shuang Zhang, 2021. "Ambiguous Air Pollution Effects of China's COVID-19 Lock-Down," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 111, pages 376-380, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:apandp:v:111:y:2021:p:376-80
    DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20211032
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • P28 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Natural Resources; Environment

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