Comprehensive evaluation of air pollution emission permit allocation: Effectiveness, efficiency, and equity in China's environmental management framework

Though the emission permit system is a pivotal policy in China's environmental management, there's a lack of comprehensive assessments for air pollutant emission quota allocation. In this study, a comprehensive 3E integrated assessment approach, encompassing the dimensions of Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity, was employed to thoroughly evaluate methods for allocating air pollution emission permits. This analysis was based on plant-level data derived from 9181 industrial enterprises situated in seven major cities within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region of China during the year 2017. The Effectiveness assessment encompassed the utilization of the WRF-CMAQ model for simulating air pollution concentrations of PM2.5, SO2, and NO2. The findings underscored the imperative need for intensified efforts to control PM2.5 and NO2 emissions, particularly in achieving compliance with the national annual average level II thresholds. Efficiency assessment navigated the delicate balance between environmental benefits and costs, with a particular emphasis on health benefits and expenses associated with pollution abatement. The results revealed annual net benefits ranging from 8.4 to 19.9 billion yuan, illuminating a highly favorable cost-benefit equilibrium. Equity assessment delved into the examination of the equitable distribution of resources and impacts. Utilizing metrics of Environmental Gini Coefficient (EGC) and Green Contribution Coefficient (GCC), the analysis uncovered disparities in most scenarios and cities, shedding light on areas necessitating targeted policy interventions. Overall, the integrated 3E assessment offers a holistic comprehension of policy impacts. Based on the overall 3E weighted scores, results showed that the allocation method that considered both the emission standard and the pollutant transmission (Scenario S2) outperformed among the three designed allocation methods. In the future, policy efforts should focus on enhancing comprehensive assessments, ensuring the sustainable development and betterment of environmental quality through air pollution control measures.