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What Causes Haze Pollution? An Empirical Study of PM 2.5 Concentrations in Chinese Cities

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  • Jiannan Wu

    (School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
    School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi, China)

  • Pan Zhang

    (School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi, China)

  • Hongtao Yi

    (John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Zhao Qin

    (School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi, China)

Abstract

In recent years, many areas of China have suffered from serious haze pollution, which greatly affects human health and daily life. It is of policy importance to understand the factors that influence the spatial concentration of PM 2.5 . Based on data from 74 cities with PM 2.5 monitoring stations in 2013 and 2014, this study presents the overall haze situation in China and explores the determinants of PM 2.5 using a random-effects model, as well as a set of OLS regressions. The results indicate that PM 2.5 is significantly correlated with the industrial proportion, the number of motor vehicles, and household gas consumption, while public financial expenditure on energy saving and environmental protection does not show statistically significant effects. The analysis implies that China should adjust its economic structure and optimizes environmental governance to effectively respond to haze pollution.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiannan Wu & Pan Zhang & Hongtao Yi & Zhao Qin, 2016. "What Causes Haze Pollution? An Empirical Study of PM 2.5 Concentrations in Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:2:p:132-:d:63185
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dabo Guan & Stephan Klasen & Klaus Hubacek & Kuishuang Feng & Zhu Liu & Kebin He & Yong Geng & Qiang Zhang, 2014. "Determinants of stagnating carbon intensity in China," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 4(11), pages 1017-1023, November.
    2. Jane Qiu, 2014. "Fight against smog ramps up," Nature, Nature, vol. 506(7488), pages 273-274, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pan Zhang & Jiannan Wu, 2018. "Performance-Based or Politic-Related Decomposition of Environmental Targets: A Multilevel Analysis in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Jingchao, Zhang & Kotani, Koji & Saijo, Tatsuyoshi, 2018. "Public acceptance of environmentally friendly heating in Beijing: A case of a low temperature air source heat pump," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 75-85.
    3. Yao, Wanxiang & Zheng, Zhimiao & Zhao, Jun & Wang, Xiao & Wang, Yan & Li, Xianli & Fu, Jidong, 2020. "The factor analysis of fog and haze under the coupling of multiple factors -- taking four Chinese cities as an example," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    4. Wenbo Chen & Fuqing Zhang & Saiwei Luo & Taojie Lu & Jiao Zheng & Lei He, 2022. "Three-Dimensional Landscape Pattern Characteristics of Land Function Zones and Their Influence on PM 2.5 Based on LUR Model in the Central Urban Area of Nanchang City, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-18, September.
    5. Yan Wang & Dong Yang, 2018. "Impacts of Freight Transport on PM 2.5 Concentrations in China: A Spatial Dynamic Panel Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, August.
    6. Wenyu Zhao & Le Xuan & Wenru Li & Wei Wang & Xuhui Wang, 2025. "Comprehensive Impact of Different Urban Form Indices on Land Surface Temperature and PM2.5 Pollution in Summer and Winter, Based on Urban Functional Zones: A Case Study of Taiyuan City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-26, July.
    7. Xueping Wu & Ming Gao, 2021. "Effects of different environmental regulations and their heterogeneity on air pollution control in China," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 140-166, December.
    8. Binxu Zhai & Jianguo Chen & Wenwen Yin & Zhongliang Huang, 2018. "Relevance Analysis on the Variety Characteristics of PM 2.5 Concentrations in Beijing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-15, September.
    9. Huan Wang & Zhenyu Chen & Pan Zhang, 2022. "Spatial Autocorrelation and Temporal Convergence of PM 2.5 Concentrations in Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-11, October.
    10. Yajie Liu & Feng Dong, 2020. "Corruption, Economic Development and Haze Pollution: Evidence from 139 Global Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-22, April.
    11. Zeng, Jingjing & Liu, Ting & Feiock, Richard & Li, Fei, 2019. "The impacts of China's provincial energy policies on major air pollutants: A spatial econometric analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 392-403.
    12. Hui Chen & Jingjing Liu & Peizhi Wang & Xiao Lin & Jingjin Ma & Chunying Wang, 2024. "Characteristics of PM 2.5 Chemical Species in 23 Chinese Cities Identified Using a Vehicular Platform," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-16, March.
    13. Yu Song & Bingrui Liu & Xiaohong Chen & Jia Liu, 2020. "Atmospheric Pollution Mapping of the Yangtze River Basin: An AQI-Based Weighted Co-Word Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-16, January.
    14. Zhang, Pan, 2019. "Do energy intensity targets matter for wind energy development? Identifying their heterogeneous effects in Chinese provinces with different wind resources," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 968-975.

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