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China’s War on Pollution: Evidence from the First Five Years

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Greenstone
  • Guojun He
  • Shanjun Li
  • Eric Zou

Abstract

The decade from 2010 to 2019 marked a significant turning point in China’s history of environmental regulation and pollution. This article describes the recent trends in air and water quality, with a focus on the five years since China declared a “war on pollution” in 2014. It summarizes the emerging literature that has taken advantage of accompanying improvements in data availability and accuracy to document sharp improvements in environmental quality, especially local air pollution, and understand their social, economic, and health consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Greenstone & Guojun He & Shanjun Li & Eric Zou, 2021. "China’s War on Pollution: Evidence from the First Five Years," NBER Working Papers 28467, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28467
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Pei & Wu, JunJie & Xu, Wenchao, 2024. "The impact of industrial sulfur dioxide emissions regulation on agricultural production in China †," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    2. Salvo, Alberto & Tang, Qu & Yang, Jing & Yin, Peng & Zhou, Maigeng, 2024. "Fine-particulate air pollution and behaviorally inclusive mortality impacts of China’s winter heating policy, 2013–2018," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    3. Kuang, Yunming & Lin, Boqiang, 2022. "Natural gas resource utilization, environmental policy and green economic development: Empirical evidence from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Dong, Yan & Tian, Jinhuan & Wen, Qiang, 2022. "Environmental regulation and outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. Sébastien Marchand & Damien Cubizol & Elda Nasho Ah-Pine & Huanxiu Guo, 2023. "Policy change, mass media and air quality in China: new paths to face air pollution?," CERDI Working papers hal-03448375, HAL.
    6. Kuang, Yunming & Lin, Boqiang, 2023. "Unwatched pollution reduction: The effect of natural gas utilization on air quality," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    7. Zhang, Zeyi & Luo, Xuehua & Hu, Huiying & Du, Jiating & Xu, Baoliang, 2023. "Market integration and urban air quality: Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 910-928.
    8. Wang, Hao & Ploegmakers, Huub & van der Krabben, Erwin & Meijerink, Sander, 2024. "The environmental effectiveness of water quality trading: Evidence from emissions trading programs in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    9. Zhao, Jinjing & Li, Ai & Roh, Taewoo & Su, Miao, 2025. "Escaping regulation or embracing innovation? Substantive green Innovation's role in moderating environmental policy and outward foreign direct investment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    10. Qianjin Wu & Zusheng Wu & Shanshan Li & Zichao Chen, 2023. "The Impact of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games on Air Quality in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region: A Quasi-Natural Experiment Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-16, July.
    11. Liu, Junfeng & Shen, Fei & Zhang, Jingru, 2023. "Economic and environmental effects of mineral resource exploitation: Evidence from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    12. Wang, Chunchao & Lin, Qianqian & Qiu, Yun, 2022. "Productivity loss amid invisible pollution," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    13. Chen, Lei & Li, Ke & Chen, Shuying & Wang, Xiaofei & Tang, Liwei, 2021. "Industrial activity, energy structure, and environmental pollution in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    14. Jiang, Lei & Yang, Yue & Wu, Qingyang & Yang, Linshuang & Yang, Zaoli, 2024. "Hotter days, dirtier air: The impact of extreme heat on energy and pollution intensity in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    15. Zheng, Xiaoting & Yang, Lin & Liu, Yumeng, 2023. "The impact of air pollution on outpatient medical service utilization and expenditure in a clean air city," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    16. Liu, Xin & Xu, Hui, 2025. "Going green with digital media attention: Evidence from Chinese A-share listed companies’ environmental performance," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PA).
    17. Xin Nie & Jianxian Wu & Han Wang & Lihua Li & Chengdao Huang & Weijuan Li & Zhuxia Wei, 2022. "Booster or Stumbling Block? The Role of Environmental Regulation in the Coupling Path of Regional Innovation under the Porter Hypothesis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, March.
    18. Liao, Liping & Kong, Shuning & Du, Minzhe, 2025. "The effect of clean heating policy on individual health: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    19. Mo, Jiawei & Wu, Zenan & Yuan, Ye, 2023. "Air pollution kills competition: Evidence from eSports," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    20. Shi, Xinzheng & Zhang, Ming-ang, 2023. "Waste import and air pollution: Evidence from China's waste import ban," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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