The Impact of Public Policy Implementation on Air Pollution and Health Levels

Abstract

Increasing public concern regarding health issues caused by air quality has intensified the search for effective solutions to air pollution. This paper collects annual data from 31 regions in China from 2013 to 2018, applying a First-Difference model, a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model, and a Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) model to analyze the impact of air pollutants on health levels. Furthermore, it examines the effects of two new environmental protection laws—the Environmental Protection Law (2015) and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution (2016)—on air quality and health. The research results indicate that the growth of PM2.5 has a significant positive impact on the first difference of Death Total Population (DTP). The implementation of the new laws significantly reduces the concentration of air pollutants; in areas with severe air pollution, the decline in PM2.5 concentration is even more pronounced. However, no significant correlation was found between the two new laws and health levels. This paper provides a theoretical basis for governing air pollution and improving public health.