The synergies of air quality monitoring program: Information disclosure and pollution control

To deal with the increasingly severe climate crisis and environmental pollution, China launched a nationwide real-time air quality monitoring program in three batches, a milestone moment in its environmental governance history. Using the time-varying difference-in-differences model, this study explores the synergies of this program across 284 cities from 2009 to 2019. The findings are as follows: (1) With environmental information disclosed, the national air quality monitoring program can reduce the outdoor fine particulate matter concentration by an overall effect of 3.31%, equivalent to an almost 1% reduction calculated by its average value. (2) This program can enhance public environmental attention and stimulate environmental practitioners' employment, thereby achieving a synergistic effect on air pollution reduction. (3) The pollution reduction effect is expected to be more pronounced in cities located in the southern and eastern regions, cities with higher population densities, and cities with favourable ventilation capabilities. (4) In response to air pollution problems, the public will adjust their daily consumption patterns to avoid potential health risks. As a result of the short-term behavioural changes, they will be more willing to pay for clean air by purchasing household air purifiers. This study highlights the considerable ecological and economic benefits of environmental information disclosure, thus further contributing to future eco-friendly and sustainable development.