The impact of public participation in environmental behavior on haze pollution and public health in China

Abstract

This study extends the STIRPAT model based on Grossman’s health production function and uses Chinese provincial panel data from 2000 to 2017 to examine regional differences in the impacts of public participation in environmental behavior (PPEB), other socioeconomic factors related to haze pollution, and public health level (PHL) in China. We use four econometric techniques and obtain robust results. Overall, results from the system-GMM indicate that an inverted U-shaped relationship, which has not passed its inflection point, exists between PPEB and haze pollution, PPEB and PHL in the different regions, urbanization, and haze pollution except in the eastern region. Both fossil energy consumption and population density promote haze pollution. Income per capita contributes to haze pollution only in the country as a whole and the western region, but improves PHL in the whole of China and the three regions. There is a negative correlation between haze pollution and PHL in each sample. Medical services are substantially conducive to PHL, except in the western region.