PM2.5 Concentrations and Subjective Well-Being: Longitudinal Evidence from Aggregated Panel Data from Chinese Provinces

Abstract

Although haze pollution with PM2.5 as the chief pollutant has become a critical threat worldwide, little research has examined the effects of PM2.5 concentrations on subjective well-being. Based on a longitudinal aggregated panel dataset from Chinese provinces, this study investigates the effects of PM2.5 concentrations on levels of happiness and the inequality of happiness. The results showed that high ground-level PM2.5 concentrations decreased the average level of happiness and high PM2.5 concentrations had stronger negative effects on the happiness of persons with high income than those with low income. In addition, PM2.5 concentrations were also significantly negatively related to inequality of happiness in Chinese provinces. Further empirical tests showed that the negative effects of PM2.5 concentrations on the inequality of happiness could be explained by the stronger influence of PM2.5 concentrations on the subjective well-being of individuals with a higher initial level of happiness than those with a lower initial level of happiness. This confirms that PM2.5 pollution can do harm to subjective well-being and reduce variations in the subjective well-being of individuals. The policy implications of controlling haze pollution and improving well-being are discussed.

Happiness inequality has a Kuznets-style relation with economic growth in China

“…The data describing happiness are drawn from ten waves of the CGSS conducted in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017. The CGSS uses a multi-stage stratified probability proportionate-to-size sampling principle 17 . An average of 10,000 households located in more than 100 counties and districts in 31 provinces in mainland China were randomly sampled in each wave of the CGSS.…”

“…The second cluster investigates happiness inequality using panel data from various regions or countries at the macro level 4 , 17 . Some scholars examine trends in happiness inequality.…”

“…Third, economic growth can influence happiness inequality through environmental pollution, which is regarded as an important determinant of happiness 13 , 17 , 32 , 33 . Specifically, according to the environmental Kuznets curve, environmental pollution first become worse and then becomes better as the economy grows 11 , 12 .…”

“…In other words, it tests whether the correlation between economic growth and the inequality of subjective wellbeing is an inverted U-shape. In academic research, subjective wellbeing is usually measured in terms of happiness or life satisfaction 16 , 17 . Following previous research, this study uses ten waves of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to develop a panel data set in which the inequality of subjective wellbeing is measured using the standard deviations in respondents’ perceived happiness in each Chinese province.…”

The Impact of Air Pollution on Residents’ Happiness: A Study on the Moderating Effect Based on Pollution Sensitivity

“…Existing literature has extensively explored the relationship between air pollution and happiness. Most of the existing literature verifies the negative impact of air pollution on happiness from a linear perspective [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Welsch [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], Luechinger [ 13 ] and Schmitt [ 14 ], based on annual average air pollution data at the national level, verified that air pollution significantly reduces the happiness of the population in each country.…”