Air Pollution and Cognitive Functions: Evidence from Straw Burning in China

Abstract

This study examines the impact of air pollution from straw burning on human cognitive health in China by linking household health surveys with PM2.5 emissions derived from remote sensing data on fire activity. The identification strategy leverages the spatial dispersion of air pollutants due to exogenous wind directions. The results indicate that PM2.5 emissions from upwind straw burning have a negative impact on cognitive functions of respondents aged 55 and above, but PM2.5 emissions from downwind fires do not. The impact is transitory and caused by contemporaneous PM2.5 emissions on the day of cognitive testing. Our findings demonstrate a link from air pollution to cognitive declines and suggest that through this link, climate change could result in additional health costs by increasing the risk of wildfires.

Air Pollution and Workplace Choice: Evidence from China

“…This implies that, facing high levels of pollution, individuals would choose to work nearby to reduce pollution exposure given that migration is restricted. As far as its mechanism and theoretical framework is concerned, the main explanation for our findings may be that air pollution has a significant negative impact on physical and mental health, and this impact is well known [ 8 , 12 , 17 ]. This mechanism is supported by many related literature reports.…”

“…Theoretically, there has been a growing body of economic literature on the impact of air pollution on human capital, including physical health [ 2 , 3 , 4 ], mental health [ 5 , 6 ], cognitive performance [ 7 , 8 ], and productivity [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Chen et al [ 2 ] and Ebenstein et al [ 12 ] provided the first quasi-experimental evidence of the impacts of sustained exposure to air pollution focused on China.…”

Risk Preferences, Productive Investment and Straw Return Technology Adoption by Farmers in China

“…In the Chinese context, this can be seen in measures such as the Chinese government restraining straw burning by implementing strict laws and regulations, such as detention and fines. Although the cost is higher for farmers to adopt straw return technology compared with using other treatment methods, farmers face detention or fines for burning straw (Lai et al, 2021), which will not only cause farmers to lose labor time or money, but also increase their cost. Based on deterrence theory, whether an individual complies with laws and regulations depends on the trade-off between the benefits brought by breaking the law and the possibility and severity of punishment (Akers, 2017;Kaine et al, 2010).…”

“…Second, because of fragmented and small-scale land, uncertain technical effects, and other characteristics, farmers adopt mechanized straw return technology costly. The farmers' cost of collecting, storing, and transporting straw is also high (Lai et al, 2021;Xu et al, 2021). Opening burning is the most convenient and lowest cost for farmers to deal with straws (Chen et al, 2016).…”

“…Especially, in developing countries that rely heavily on agricultural production, straw burning is more common. It is also the main cause of seasonal air pollution and health problems (Guo, 2021;Lai et al, 2021;Lopes et al, 2020;Rangel and Vogl, 2019). Because farmers are the direct users of cultivated land, changing their traditional production behavior is undoubtedly key to popularizing straw return technology.…”