Factors governing the willingness to pay for air pollution treatment: A case study in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

Air pollution has attracted broad attention from the Chinese government, the public and academic researchers. With the economic development and the desire for a better life, public participation is of central importance to air pollution control. This study investigates public perception and the willingness to pay in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, one of the typical heavy smog polluted areas in China, through a combination of online questionnaire survey and field investigation. A multi-parameter quantitative regression model is employed to explore the drivers of the willingness to participate in air pollution treatment. The results suggest that the willingness to participate is influenced by personal income level and occupation, the awareness of air pollution in daily life, and governmental credibility regarding air pollution prevention, which are quantified by the causal relationships with willingness to pay for addressing air pollution. There are large differences in the public perception of the causes of air pollution, the satisfaction with present air pollution control and the ways to become personally involved in actions for pollution source control. Although the present willingness to pay for air pollution treatment is weak and substantially varies across the region, it would be higher if more satisfactory measures were enacted and practiced. The results sketch the residents’ desired clean air plans and practicable clean production actions. Some policy implications are advanced to enhance the efficiency of environmental regulation and public engagement in environmental protection.