Impact of rating and praise campaigns on local government environmental governance efficiency: Evidence from the campaign of establishment of national sanitary cities in China

Background Ecological and environmental protection is essential to achieving sustainable and high-quality development, which highlights the important role of environmental governance. In terms of the practical actions of environmental governance, the central government in China has carried out continuous rating and praise campaigns, and local governments have actively promoted this effort. However, the related performance consequences have not been empirically investigated. We aimed to verify whether this incentive policy can improve the efficiency of environmental governance and whether this governance method has long-term effects. In addition, we sought to identify mechanisms through which the policy can improve environmental governance. Method We take the rating and praise campaign of the Establishment of National Sanitary Cities (EONSCs) as a quasi-natural experiment and use the panel data for 174 cities from 2004 to 2016 and the propensity score matching-difference in differences (PSM-DID) method to test the impact of rating and praise campaigns on environmental governance efficiency. Results EONSCs campaign can improve the efficiency of environmental governance by 0.7595 (p<0.01), which is significant at the 1% level; the effects are clearly significant during the evaluation process and the year in which cities are named National Sanitary Cities (NSCs) but decrease annually thereafter. The EONSCs campaign has a significant promoting effect on public services provision, such as public infrastructure investment, public transportation and education. Conclusions (1) The rating and praise campaigns can effectively improve the efficiency of environmental governance; (2) the incentive effect is distorted and is not a long-term effect; (3) the impact of the rating and praise campaign of EONSCs on the efficiency of environmental governance is mainly realized through the provision of corresponding public services that are closely related to environmental protection. The findings of this paper provide empirical support for the effectiveness of the central government’s rating and praise campaigns and could motivate local governments to actively participate in environmental governance. Moreover, the findings provide an important reference for further improving the rating and praise campaigns and the level of environmental governance.

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Does the “Miracle Drug” of Environmental Governance Really Improve Air Quality? Evidence from China’s System of Central Environmental Protection Inspections

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16050850 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (5) ◽

pp. 850 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Ruxin Wu ◽

Piao Hu

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Environmental Protection ◽

Treatment Effect ◽

Local Governments ◽

Environmental Governance ◽

Central Government ◽

Local Officials ◽

The Media ◽

Positive Effect

Central environmental protection inspections have completed their goal of full coverage of 31 provinces in China, and more than 17,000 officials have been held accountable. The media has evaluated the effectiveness of central environmental protection inspections using the notions of “instant results” and the “miracle drug of environmental governance.” Can this approach effectively promote local environmental governance? This paper takes the treatment effect of central environmental protection inspections on air pollution as an example. Using the method of regression discontinuity, central environmental protection inspections are found to have a positive effect on the air quality index (AQI), but this effect is only short term and unsustainable. Additionally, there are inter-provincial differences. Judging from the research results on sub-contaminants, the treatment effect of central environmental protection inspections on air pollution is mainly reflected in PM10, PM2.5 and CO. Under the current situation in which PM10 and PM2.5 are the main assessment indexes, this phenomenon indicates that due to the political achievements and promotion of local officials and for reasons of accountability, it is more effective for the central government to conduct specific environmental assessments through local governments than to conduct central environmental protection inspections.

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Citizen Science Across a Spectrum: Building Partnerships to Broaden the Impact of Citizen Science

Science & Technology Studies ◽

10.23987/sts.60419 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 24-33

Author(s):

Shannon Dosemagen ◽

Alison Parker

Keyword(s):

Environmental Protection ◽

Citizen Science ◽

Source Identification ◽

Local Governments ◽

Federal Agencies ◽

Enforcement Action ◽

Wide Range ◽

Community Science ◽

The Impact

Environmental protection as a movement is broadening to both invite and require the participation and energy of everyone, including federal agencies, local governments, activists, and enthusiasts. Citizen science and community science, approaches rooted in non-traditional partnerships and diverse participation, are a strong approach to science, and they are especially strong approaches to a wide range of outcomes with direct impacts on the protection of the environment, from civic engagement all the way to enforcement action. There is evidence that institutions and agencies are moving towards more inclusive visions of their missions, and citizen and community scientists are motivated to engage. We propose a spectrum of engagement that defines opportunities for citizen science and community science beyond the participation of volunteers in institution-driven or scientist-driven research; we also provide examples of projects and efforts that have led to outcomes for each of the spectrum categories. We argue that the impact of citizen science and community science can be strengthened through the recognition of a wide range of partnership structures, including long-term community documentation, community pattern identification, community problem source identification, and advocacy to community. Citizen science and community science represent a more inclusive version of science, and provide a model for embracing truly collaborative environmental protection, as well.

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The Long-Term and Retention Impacts of the Intervention Policy for Cage Aquaculture on the Reservoir Water Qualities in Northern China

Water ◽

10.3390/w12123325 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 3325

Author(s):

Gelin Kang ◽

Jingchen Yin ◽

Naixin Cui ◽

Han Ding ◽

Shaoming Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Central Government ◽

Point Sources ◽

Additive Models ◽

Cage Culture ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Reservoir Water ◽

Cage Aquaculture ◽

The Impact

To ensure the safety of the water supply of the Panjiakou reservoir, in 2016, the Chinese central government comprehensively banned the fishing cage culture that had lasted for almost 30 years. However, the long-term effects and retention impacts of the government’s mandatory intervention on the reservoir water quality are unknown. To determine the reservoir water quality, we employed statistical methods along with the mathematical model to investigate the internal relationship since the construction of the reservoir. We applied seasonal trend decomposition using loess (STL) to explore the long-term and seasonality trend of monthly total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP). To separate the impact of upstream water quality changes from cage culture on reservoir water quality, we employed generalized additive models (GAMs). We created a model, the LAKE2K model, to investigate the internal sources of the sediment that accumulated during the aquaculture period and its retardant effect. The results revealed that the concentration of upstream TN was more affected by non-point sources than by TP. The long-term policy of encouraging aquaculture has greatly contributed to the increase in the reservoir TP concentration rather than an increase in TN; the prohibition of cage aquaculture has resulted in a sharp drop in TP. After the ban, the sediment became the main source of TP. We suspect that the TP concentration of the reservoir and sediment will decrease gradually until a new equilibrium is reached within 10 years. This study offers lake managers an opportunity to increase their insight into the interaction of management measures with water quality and provides valuable information for the natural recovery of the eutrophic system.

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Economies of Scope and Local Government Expenditure: Evidence from Creation of Specially Authorized Cities in Japan

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13052684 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2684

Author(s):

Takeshi Miyazaki

Keyword(s):

Local Governments ◽

Public Services ◽

Government Expenditure ◽

General Purpose ◽

Economies Of Scope ◽

Capita Expenditure ◽

Event Study Method ◽

The Impact ◽

Special Case

There is little evidence of either the existence or absence of economies of scope in public services provided by general-purpose local governments. This study uses difference-in-differences (DID) analysis and the event study method to estimate the impact on expenditure of the designation of cities as either core cities or special case cities, thereby giving them the authority to undertake a wider range of activities, and identify the magnitude of the economies of scope in local governments using panel data for Japanese municipalities during the period 1996–2015. The findings of this research are summarized as follows. First, in the provision of public services by general-local governments, economies of scope do not occur in the short term (2–3 years), but do appear in the mid to long term (more than 5 years for core city status). After the delegation of duties, per capita expenditure for core cities increases by 2.8% immediately after the designation, but then decreases by 0.6% annually. Second, the wider the range of extra activities delegated, the greater the economies of scope.

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Remote Microphone System Use in the Homes of Children With Hearing Loss: Impact on Caregiver Communication and Child Vocalizations

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2019_jslhr-19-00197 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (2) ◽

pp. 633-642

Author(s):

Emily C. Thompson ◽

Carlos R. Benítez-Barrera ◽

Gina P. Angley ◽

Tiffany Woynaroski ◽

Anne Marie Tharpe

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Environmental Analysis ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Home Setting ◽

System Use ◽

Parental Reports ◽

Children With Hearing Loss ◽

The Impact

Purpose This study examined the impact of home use of remote microphone systems (RMSs) on caregiver communication and child vocalizations in families of children with hearing loss. Method We drew on data from a prior study in which Language ENvironmental Analysis recorders were used with 9 families during 2 consecutive weekends—1 that involved using an RMS and 1 that did not. Audio samples from Language ENvironmental Analysis recorders were (a) manually coded to quantify the frequency of verbal repetitions and alert phrases caregivers utilized in communicating to children with hearing loss and (b) automatically analyzed to quantify children's vocalization rate, duration, complexity, and reciprocity when using and not using an RMS. Results When using an RMS at home, caregivers did not repeat or clarify their statements as often as when not using an RMS while communicating with their children with hearing loss. However, no between-condition differences were observed in children's vocal characteristics. Conclusions Results provide further support for home RMS use for children with hearing loss. Specifically, findings lend empirical support to prior parental reports suggesting that RMS use eases caregiver communication in the home setting. Studies exploring RMS use over a longer duration of time might provide further insight into potential long-term effects on children's vocal production.

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Asymmetrical Attribution of Performance in China

Asian Survey ◽

10.1525/as.2020.60.5.978 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. 978-1003

Author(s):

Jacqueline Chen Chen ◽

Jun Xiang

Keyword(s):

Economic Development ◽

Local Governments ◽

Central Government ◽

Cultural Theory ◽

Political Trust ◽

Mediation Model ◽

Multilevel Mediation ◽

Dual Pathway ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

The Impact

Existing studies of the impact of economic development on political trust in China have two major gaps: they fail to explain how economic development contributes to the hierarchical trust pattern, and they do not pay enough attention to the underlying mechanisms. In light of cultural theory and political control theory, we propose adapting performance theory into a theory of “asymmetrical attribution of performance” to better illuminate the case of China. This adapted theory leads to dual pathway theses: expectation fulfillment and local blaming. Using a multilevel mediation model, we show that expectation fulfillment mainly upholds trust in the central government, whereas local blaming undermines trust in local governments. We also uncover a rural–urban distinction in the dual pathway, revealing that both theses are more salient among rural Chinese.

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SUMBER-SUMBER RESILIENSI PADA REMAJA AKHIR YANG MENGALAMI KEKERASAN DARI ORANGTUA PADA MASA KANAK-KANAK

Psibernetika ◽

10.30813/psibernetika.v11i1.1161 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Devina Calista ◽

Garvin Garvin

Keyword(s):

Late Adolescents ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Short Term ◽

Parental Affection ◽

Resilience Factors ◽

Childhood Violence ◽

Past Experiences ◽

The Impact ◽

Depth Interviews

Child abuse by parents is common in households. The impact of violence on children will bring short-term effects and long-term effects that can be attributed to their various emotional, behavioral and social problems in the future; especially in late adolescence that will enter adulthood. Resilience factors increase the likelihood that adolescents who are victims of childhood violence recover from their past experiences, become more powerful individuals and have a better life. The purpose of this study was to determine the source of resilience in late adolescents who experienced violence from parents in their childhood. This research uses qualitative research methods with in-depth interviews as a method of data collection. The result shows that the three research participants have the aspects of "I Have", "I Am", and "I Can"; a participant has "I Can" aspects as a source of resilience, and one other subject has no source of resilience. The study concluded that parental affection and acceptance of the past experience have role to the three sources of resilience (I Have, I Am, and I Can) Keyword : Resilience, adolescence, violence, parents

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The Quantification of Structural Reforms in OECD Countries

10.1093/oso/9780198821878.003.0007 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Balázs Égert ◽

Peter Gal

Keyword(s):

Product Market ◽

Physical Capital ◽

Oecd Countries ◽

Market Regulation ◽

Structural Reforms ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Per Capita ◽

Product Market Regulation ◽

The Impact

This chapter describes and discusses a new supply-side framework that quantifies the impact of structural reforms on per capita income in OECD countries. It presents the overall macroeconomic impacts of reforms by aggregating over the effects on physical capital, employment, and productivity through a production function. On the basis of reforms defined as observed changes in policies, the chapter finds that product market regulation has the largest overall single policy impact five years after the reforms. But the combined impact of all labour market policies is considerably larger than that of product market regulation. The paper also shows that policy impacts can differ at different horizons. The overall long-term effects on GDP per capita of policies transiting through capital deepening can be considerably larger than the five- to ten-year impacts. By contrast, the long-term impact of policies coming only via the employment rate channel materializes at a shorter horizon.

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Queensland Family Cohort: a study protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044463 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. e044463

Author(s):

Danielle Borg ◽

Kym Rae ◽

Corrine Fiveash ◽

Johanna Schagen ◽

Janelle James-McAlpine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Family Environment ◽

Biological Samples ◽

Local Governments ◽

Financial Stability ◽

Federal State ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Future Health ◽

The Impact

IntroductionThe perinatal–postnatal family environment is associated with childhood outcomes including impacts on physical and mental health and educational attainment. Family longitudinal cohort studies collect in-depth data that can capture the influence of an era on family lifestyle, mental health, chronic disease, education and financial stability to enable identification of gaps in society and provide the evidence for changes in government in policy and practice.Methods and analysisThe Queensland Family Cohort (QFC) is a prospective, observational, longitudinal study that will recruit 12 500 pregnant families across the state of Queensland (QLD), Australia and intends to follow-up families and children for three decades. To identify the immediate and future health requirements of the QLD population; pregnant participants and their partners will be enrolled by 24 weeks of gestation and followed up at 24, 28 and 36 weeks of gestation, during delivery, on-ward, 6 weeks postpartum and then every 12 months where questionnaires, biological samples and physical measures will be collected from parents and children. To examine the impact of environmental exposures on families, data related to environmental pollution, household pollution and employment exposures will be linked to pregnancy and health outcomes. Where feasible, data linkage of state and federal government databases will be used to follow the participants long term. Biological samples will be stored long term for future discoveries of biomarkers of health and disease.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Mater Research Ethics (HREC/16/MHS/113). Findings will be reported to (1) QFC participating families; (2) funding bodies, institutes and hospitals supporting the QFC; (3) federal, state and local governments to inform policy; (4) presented at local, national and international conferences and (5) disseminated by peer-review publications.

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Corporate Environmental Performance in China: The Moderating Effects of the Media versus the Approach of Local Governments

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010150 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 150

Author(s):

Zhiru Guo ◽

Chao Lu

Keyword(s):

Environmental Protection ◽

Environmental Performance ◽

Local Governments ◽

Random Effect ◽

Random Effect Model ◽

Corporate Environmental Performance ◽

Media Attention ◽

The Media ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

This article selects the listed companies in China’s A-share heavy pollution industry from 2014 to 2018 as samples, uses a random effect model to empirically test the relationship between media attention and corporate environmental performance and examines the impacts of local government environmental protection and property nature on that relationship. Results are as follow: (1) Media attention can significantly affect a company’s environmental performance. The higher the media attention, the greater the company’s supervision and the better its environmental performance. (2) In areas where the government pays less attention to environmental protection, the impact of media on corporate environmental performance is more obvious, but in other areas, the impact of media on environmental performance cannot be reflected; (3) The media attention is very significant for the environmental performance improvement of state-owned enterprises, and it is not obvious in non-state-owned enterprises. (4) A further breakdown of the study found that the role of media attention in corporate environmental performance is only significant in the sample of local governments that have low environmental protection and are state-owned enterprises. This research incorporates the local government’s emphasis on environmental protection into the research field of vision, expands the research scope of media and corporate environmental performance, and also provides new clues and evidence for promoting the active fulfillment of environmental protection responsibilities by companies and local governments.

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