Urban Land Expansion and Air Pollution: Evidence from China

Abstract

This study examines the effects of urban land expansion on air pollution in China. Using panel data of Chinese prefecture-level cities and exploring variations in air pollution concentrations, the study results show that urban land expansion significantly influences air pollution. Cities with higher levels of urban land expansion experience a higher concentration of air pollution. This finding is robust to various checks, including using instrumental variables and satellite-derived measurement of urban land expansion. It is also found that densely populated cities suffer less from air pollution compared with sparsely populated cities. Transportation-based and non-transportation-based channels linking urban land expansion and air pollution exist. The results suggest that China’s urban land expansion is causing air pollution, and that an urban containment development strategy should be undertaken to improve the environment.