2009/06/24 by Haakon Vennemo, Kristin Aunan, Henrik Lindhjem +1 · 139 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Environmental Science · #Energy, Environment, Economic Growth #Environmental Impact and Sustainability #Climate Change Policy and Economics #China #Air quality index #Pollution #Air pollution #Natural resource economics #Environmental quality #Environmental science #Environmental protection #Population #Geography #Political science #Economics #Meteorology #Environmental health
paper · doi:10.1093/reep/rep009
published in Review of Environmental Economics and Policy 3(2), 209-230 (University of Chicago Press)
openalex publication_date 2009/06/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/08
The state of China's environment is receiving attention from all over the world. This article reviews the current status and trends of environmental pollution in China. We argue that China is able to contain, and to some extent improve, air and water quality for the urban population at the local level. The situation is uneven when it comes to problems at the regional level. On the one hand, surface water quality in the South is improving and particle emissions are stable. On the other hand, nitrogen oxide emissions are increasing rapidly and sulfur oxide emissions have been on the rise until very recently, despite intense official pressure to bring sulfur emissions down. China's CO2 emissions have grown rapidly in recent years, causing global concern. However, we argue that future growth in CO2 emissions is likely to be slower. Overall, China appears to be following a path similar to the one taken by more industrialized countries.