Is NIMBY inevitable? An empirical exploration of determinants of public attitudes towards unwanted facilities using nationally representative data in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT ‘Not in my Back Yard’ (NIMBY) protests against the construction of unwanted facilities nearby occur when individuals prioritize personal benefits over broader social benefits, which is an interesting phenomenon in China’s government-regulated market economic system. Although this fascinating phenomenon attracts plenty of research attention, it remains unknown regarding the extent of NIMBY intention and its influencing factors in China. This study describes the NIMBY intention of Chinese residents towards a large-scale chemical plant with low pollution and analyzes its determinants utilizing data from a nationally representative survey in 2017. It shows that 85% of the 38,775 respondents have strong NIMBY intentions. Among all factors, education and urbanization are the two most influential ones and are positively related to NIMBY intention. Besides, women, high-income groups, and people living in areas with strong social networks, high GDP per capita, or high pollution, exhibit strong NIMBY intention. Conversely, trust in the government and willingness to participate in public affairs are negatively correlated with NIMBY intention. Our study indicates that NIMBY intention will inevitably rise with educational attainment and urbanization levels, but the NIMBY dilemma can be alleviated by implementing participatory governance and building trust in local government.