Does the environmental inspection system really reduce pollution in China? Data on air quality in China

In order to address the increasingly severe environmental pollution, the Chinese government has introduced the central environmental protection inspection (CEPI). As a unique case of the Chinese-style environmental regulations, few studies have used quantitative analyses to evaluate the effects of CEPI. Employing the panel data approach, this study evaluated the effects of CEPI on air pollution in Hebei, which has the worst air quality in China and is the piloted province for this strategy. The main results are as follows: (1) the Air Quality Index and PM 2.5 concentrations decreased by approximately 20% and 26% during the inspection. (2) Heterogeneity exists among cities. Specifically, CEPI has little or no impact on the air quality in Chengde and Zhangjiakou, which lie to the north of Beijing and may have faced stricter regulatory policies before the CEPI. (3) Further, the findings show that the effects are better in the short run but weaken over time, indicating that the CEPI should become more systematic, routinized, and standardized in order to improve air quality. This study provides enlightenment regarding improving the central environmental policy moving forward. • The impacts of central environmental protection inspection (CEPI) on AQI and PM 2.5 are analyzed in Hebei. • Effects of CEPI are better in the short term but weaken in the long term. • The impacts of CEPI are heterogeneous across cities. • It is necessary to improve the legal system of central and local governmental affairs.