Central Inspections and Local Realities
Environmental Accountability as a Tool for Anti-Corruption in China
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7309912 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sifan Quan (0009-0005-4081-2665, Sun Yat-sen University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 61 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 3539-3558 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Asian and African Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0021-9096 • E-ISSN: 1745-2538 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00219096251380750 |
| OpenAlex | W4415658136 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 55 |
This study investigates the effect of a major anti-corruption governance initiative on pollution reduction in China. Applying a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model to provincial panel data (2014–2023), the analysis leverages the 2018 Central Environmental Inspection “Looking Back” campaign—high-pressure political accountability tool—as a quasi-natural experiment. This initiative is found to have significantly reduced SO2 emissions. Mechanism tests suggest this environmental improvement was not a byproduct of a chilling effect on economic activity. Crucially, the analysis reveals strong heterogeneity: the pollution reduction is driven almost entirely by non-resource-based provinces. The findings demonstrate that specific, accountability-focused anti-corruption governance can yield substantial environmental benefits
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |