Evaluating the Effectiveness of Urban Sprawl in Reducing Air Pollution: Evidence from Chinese Cities
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 150, Issue 4
Abstract
Urban sprawl has a significant impact on the air environment. In this paper, taking the two representative pollutants, PM2.5 and CO2, as examples, we used the data from 2010 to 2022 and empirically examined the specific impact of urban sprawl on air pollution. Overall, urban sprawl increases pollutant emissions and exacerbates air pollution. In this process, private car usage is an important mechanism. Moreover, there is significant heterogeneity in the effects of urban sprawl on air pollution. The pollution effect of urban sprawl on the air environment is significant in the western region and small cities. Besides, urban sprawl also has a nonlinear effect on air pollution. Specifically, urban sprawl has a U-shaped effect on air pollution. Currently, the effects of urban sprawl on emissions of both pollutants lie on the right side of the curve.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Published In
Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 150 • Issue 4 • December 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 29, 2024
Accepted: Jul 3, 2024
Published online: Aug 28, 2024
Published in print: Dec 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jan 28, 2025
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