Evaluating the Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation Development on Urban Air Quality in China: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71222/695p2m15Keywords:
Difference-in-Differences analysis, urbanization in China, mitigation of air pollution, transportation development in China, air qualityAbstract
China's swift urbanization and motorization have profoundly affected urban air quality, with transportation accounting for a substantial portion of urban air pollution. This study examines the effect of enhancements in public transportation on air quality in Chinese cities, with a particular emphasis on PM2.5 concentrations as a critical metric. Employing a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) methodology, we examine data from cities that executed substantial public transport enhancements between 2000 and 2020, contrasting them with cities that did not implement analogous measures. Findings demonstrate that enhancements in public transportation correlate with substantial decreases in PM2.5 concentrations, especially in urban areas with elevated baseline pollution levels. The results underscore the significance of sustainable transportation strategies in alleviating air pollution and enhancing public health. This study enhances the literature by delivering a thorough empirical examination of the environmental effects of public transport investments in China and has practical implications for urban authorities.
References
1. Y. Chen, G. Z. Jin, N. Kumar, and G. Shi, "The promise of Beijing: Evaluating the impact of the 2008 Olympic Games on air quality," J. Environ. Econ. Manag., vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 424–443, 2013. [Online]. Available: https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jeeman/v66y2013i3p424-443.html
2. C. Gao, S. Li, M. Liu, F. Zhang, V. Achal, Y. Tu, S. Zhang, and C. Cai, "Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution in Chinese megacities from the perspective of traffic volume and meteorological factors," Sci. Total Environ., vol. 773, p. 145545, 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145545.
3. F. J. Kelly and J. C. Fussell, "Air pollution and public health: Emerging hazards and improved understanding of risk," Environ. Geochem. Health, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 631–649, 2015. doi: 10.1007/s10653-015-9720-1.
4. S. Moslem, Ž. Stević, I. Tanackov, and F. Pilla, "Sustainable development solutions of public transportation: An integrated IMF SWARA and Fuzzy Bonferroni operator," Sustain. Cities Soc., vol. 93, p. 104530, 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2023.104530.
5. A. Thaller, A. Posch, A. Dugan, and K. Steininger, "How to design policy packages for sustainable transport: Balancing dis-ruptiveness and implementability," Transp. Res. Part D: Transp. Environ., vol. 91, p. 102714, 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.trd.2021.102714.
6. The World Bank, "China," World Bank, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/china.
7. S. Wang and J. Hao, "Air quality management in China: Issues, challenges, and options," J. Environ. Sci., vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 2–13, 2012. doi: 10.1016/s1001-0742(11)60724-9.
8. World Health Organization (WHO), "Ambient air pollution: A global assessment of exposure and burden of disease," 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241511353.
9. W. Yang, W. Veeneman, M. de Jong, and Y. Song, "Integrated transport management: Lessons from a Chinese city," Res. Transp. Econ., vol. 83, p. 100918, 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.retrec.2020.100918.
10. Q. Zhang, K. He, and H. Huo, "Cleaning China’s air," Nature, vol. 484, no. 7393, pp. 161–162, 2012. doi: 10.1038/484161a.
11. Y. Zhang, W. Wu, Y. Li, and Y. Li, "An investigation of PM2.5 concentration changes in Mid-Eastern China before and after COVID-19 outbreak," Environ. Int., vol. 175, p. 107941, 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107941.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Chuiying Mak (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
