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Temporary driving restrictions, air pollution, and contemporaneous health: Evidence from China

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  • Han, Qing
  • Liu, Ying
  • Lu, Zilong

Abstract

We employ a temporary policy of driving restrictions in China to estimate the effect of traffic control on pollution. We then evaluate the health impact of pollution using the fixed effects instrumental variables approach. We show that the policy significantly improves the city-level air quality as measured by CO, PM10, NO2, and API. The further station-level analysis displays that the effect substantially declines from 46.6% to 33.1% for CO and PM10 respectively to 14.5% and 18.3% with the decreasing size of the restriction area. Furthermore, we demonstrate the heterogeneous impact on PM10 by road density. We then find that a 1% decrease in PM10 reduces the daily air-pollution-related standardized mortality by 0.313 per million people. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that the impact is largely driven by the females at the age of 65 years and older.

Suggested Citation

  • Han, Qing & Liu, Ying & Lu, Zilong, 2020. "Temporary driving restrictions, air pollution, and contemporaneous health: Evidence from China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:regeco:v:84:y:2020:i:c:s016604622030257x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2020.103572
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    Cited by:

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    3. Zhang, Xiaodong & Yang, Qi & Xu, Xiaoqing & Sun, Qipeng & Mao, Xinhua, 2024. "Have mixed traffic restrictions improved air quality in different regions?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 139-148.
    4. Feng, Tong & Sun, Yuechi & Shi, Yating & Ma, Jie & Feng, Chunmei & Chen, Zhenni, 2024. "Air pollution control policies and impacts: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
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    6. Shihe Fu & V. Brian Viard, 2022. "A mayors perspective on tackling air pollution," Chapters, in: Charles K.Y. Leung (ed.), Handbook of Real Estate and Macroeconomics, chapter 16, pages 413-437, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Li, Ling & Yang, Linchuan, 2023. "Effects of driving restrictions on air quality and housing prices: Evidence from Chengdu, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    8. Piera Bello, 2021. "The environmental cost and the accident externality of driving: Evidence from the Swiss franc's appreciation," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(3), pages 1440-1458, July.
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    10. Bondonio, Daniele & Chirico, Paolo & Piacenza, Massimiliano & Robbiano, Simone, 2025. "Urban NO2-pollution and health outcomes: Evidence from a natural experiment in Italy on the simulated benefits of the EU zero-emission-vehicles resolution," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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