The effects of environmental inspection on air quality: Evidence from China

To address ecological and environmental issues, central environmental inspection (CEI) coordinated by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment has been implemented since 2016. This paper aims to comprehensively evaluate how and how much CEI affects air quality. The results of the difference-in-differences models show that CEI improved the air quality and reduced the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2 by 8.8%, 8.1%, 7.9%, and 2.4%, respectively. Moreover, environmental effectiveness was strengthened over the course of four rounds of inspection. The mediating model results indicate that effectiveness was achieved through active public participation, administrative punishments from the central inspectors, and positive rectification actions from the local governments. The greatest improvement in air quality occurred during the on-site inspection period, after which the effects gradually weakened. A review inspection was carried out to supervise the rectification tasks. The adoption of review inspection made the effects on air quality improvement reappear, which verifies that CEI in China is not just a temporary campaign-style enforcement but a normalized and effective governance of air pollution.

Automated summary

Central environmental inspection in China has effectively improved air quality by reducing the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2, with the strongest effects observed during the on-site inspection period. The environmental effectiveness was strengthened through public participation, administrative punishments, and positive rectification actions. The use of review inspection helped maintain the improvement in air quality, demonstrating that CEI is a normalized and effective governance strategy for tackling air pollution.