Title: Driving Restriction, Air
Pollution, and Adaptation
Speaker: Jingjing Ye
Abstract: Driving restriction policy
(DRP) has been adopted worldwide to curb traffic congestion and air pollution.
However, the empirical evidence on its effectiveness in improving air quality
is still mixed (e.g. Davis 2008 and Lin et al 2011). One possible reason is
that individuals may ultimately adapt driving pattern to the restricted driving
schedule. This paper addresses this possibility based on hourly measures of air
pollutants from monitoring stations at Nanchang, where its existing
plate-number based DRP has recently been upgraded to emission based DRP.
Across all pollutants, we find strong and consistent
evidence of improved air quality before and after the announcement of such
policy change. Nevertheless, the effect disappears after the policy is
implemented, because agent anticipates and alters behavior prior to actual
treatment. Results suggest that adaptation may occur not only by adjusting
travel time using existing high emission vehicles, but also through upgrading
to low emission vehicles.
About Jingjing Ye: Assistant Professor, Research Institute of Economics and Management, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics.
Date: Dec, 9th, 2015
Time: 13:30-14:50 PM
Location: Room 608, Academic Hall, CUFE