Does the joint prevention and control regulation improve the air quality? A quasi-experiment in the Beijing economic belt during the COVID-19 pandemic. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tao, Chenlu; Wheiler, Kent; Yu, Chang; Cheng, Baodong; Diao, Gang
• Is Part Of: Sustainable cities and society. Volume 75(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Beijing economic belt -- COVID-19 -- Industrial transfer -- Regional governance -- TVP-VAR; Sustainable urban development -- Periodicals; Sustainable buildings -- Periodicals; Urban ecology (Sociology) -- Periodicals; 307.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2021.103365
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2210-6707

Abstract

Highlights: Air pollution relationship has been weakening due to interregional air policies. Industrial adjustment has achieved some progress in alleviating air pollution. Industrial relocation policies in ZJK, CHD, TIJ could achieve incremental benefits. Abstract: This study aims to clarify the correlation between air pollution of cities in Beijing Economic Belt from a time-varying perspective and estimate effects of joint prevention and control regulation of air pollution. The COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity. Based on daily data of air quality, we used TVP-VAR model and utilize the pandemic as a quasi-experiment to assess the policies. The results show air pollution in surrounding cities does influence Beijing's air quality, but the relationship has been weakening year by year, mainly due to industrial adjustment which have achieved progress on alleviating the path of air pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to implement joint regulation in areas with serious pollution. Specifically, the relationship between the air quality of Beijing and Zhangjiakou, Chengde, Tianjin decreased as the pandemic became worse. In contrast, there was no significant decline in Langfang and Baoding. So unlike Baoding and Langfang, industrial production increased relationships between air quality of Beijing and the other three cities, which highlights the validity of restrictions. However, restrictions implemented on Baoding and Langfang affect economic development but have little effect on Beijing's air governance. Therefore, joint regulation contributes to realizing sustainable cities, but more targeted policies should be formulated. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract