The Effect of the Low-Carbon City Pilot Program on the Cognitive Function of Older Adults: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from China

Abstract Background and Objectives In response to the impact of climate change, China initiated the Low-Carbon City Pilot (LCCP) program in 2010. Despite the program’s positive environmental outcomes, its influence on health among older adults—an age group highly vulnerable to air pollution—remains understudied. This study aims to investigate the effect of the LCCP program on cognitive health among older Chinese and explore the intermediate pathways involved. Research Design and Methods Utilizing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this research employs a staggered difference-in-differences estimator to examine the effects of the LCCP program on cognitive health of older Chinese. Results The findings indicate that the LCCP program has been associated with relative improvements in cognitive function of older adults in China, and that this observed positive association has increased over time. Mechanism analysis identifies the enhanced outdoor and indoor air quality, the expansion of green spaces in the city, and increased individual outdoor activity as possible channels through which the LCCP program has exerted its beneficial effects. Discussion and Implications The positive association of the LCCP program with cognitive function in Chinese older adults highlights the interconnected nature of environmental and health outcomes. As cities worldwide grapple with the challenges of an aging population and climate change, the insights from this study offer practice implications for designing and refining low carbon city initiatives.