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AbstractThis introduction provides an overview and analysis of key scientific data regarding air pollution in China. It constitutes a reference for understanding how policymakers, media and population in China make sense of and deal with air pollution, as discussed in the other articles of the section. We summarize the major characteristics and trends regarding air pollution in China, including its main sources and composition, levels of population exposure across the country, attributable mortality, and mitigation efforts. We also compare current levels of air pollution in China with other parts of the world and in a historical perspective. While the situation remains dire in many regions, particularly the Northeast, we conclude that there are signs of relief, or at least a halt to the increase in ambient air pollution levels. At the same time, critical issues regarding unequal levels of exposure remain, and health damaging levels of air pollution in cities will undoubtedly remain high for a long time to come. The rural population residing in areas close to industry and polluted cities and still depending on solid household fuels will likely be the worst off when it comes to air pollution exposure.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Series Preface -- Introduction -- PART I: DIMENSIONS OF THE POLLUTION PROBLEM -- 1: 'Income's Effect on Car and Vehicle Ownership, Worldwide: 1960-2015' -- 2: 'Factoring the Environmental Kuznets Curve: Evidence from Automotive Lead Emissions' -- 3: 'On the Costs of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles' -- PART II: CONVENTIONAL POLLUTANTS -- 4: 'Differentiated Regulation: The Case of Auto Emissions Standards' -- 5: 'Estimating an Emissions Supply Function from Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Programs' -- 6: 'The Nonpecuniary Costs of Automobile Emissions Standards' -- 7: 'Are Vehicle Emission Inspection Programs Living Up to Expectations?' -- 8: 'An Empirical Examination of Moral Hazard in the Vehicle Inspection Market' -- 9: 'Rationing Can Backfire: The "Day without a Car" in Mexico City' -- 10: 'Policy-Induced Technology Adoption: Evidence from the U.S. Lead Phasedown' -- 11: 'A Presumptive Pigovian Tax: Complementing Regulation to Mimic an Emissions Fee' -- 12: 'Can Taxes on Cars and on Gasoline Mimic an Unavailable Tax on Emissions?' -- 13: 'Distributional Aspects of an Environmental Tax Shift: The Case of Motor Vehicle Emissions Taxes' -- 14: 'An Emission Saved is an Emission Earned: An Empirical Study of Emission Banking for Light-Duty Vehicle Manufacturers' -- 15: 'Joint Mixed Logit Models of Stated and Revealed Preferences for Alternative-Fuel Vehicles' -- PART III: GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS -- 16: 'The Limits of Market-Oriented Regulatory Techniques: The Case of Automotive Fuel Economy' -- 17: 'Impacts of Long-Range Increases in the Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standard' -- 18: 'CAFE or Price? An Analysis of the Effects of Federal Fuel Economy Regulations and Gasoline Price on New Car MPG

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: The Atmosphere -- Chapter 2: The Weather -- Chapter 3: Modern Meteorology -- Chapter 4: Advances in Weather Studies -- Chapter 5: Weather Modification -- Chapter 6: Local Air Pollution -- Chapter 7: Acid Rain -- Chapter 8: Toxic Substances -- Chapter 9: Ozone Depletion -- Chapter 10: Breathing Particles -- Chapter 11: Global Warming -- Chapter 12: Clean Energy -- Glossary -- Further Reading -- Web Sites -- Index.

The UK Committee on Air Pollution Effects Research (CAPER) was established 40 years ago. This special section was compiled to mark this anniversary. During this time there have been dramatic changes in the composition of the air over the UK. The four papers in this special section of Environmental Pollution represent the current air pollution effects research focus on ozone and nitrogen deposition, two related issues and are proving from a policy perspective to be quite intractable issues. The UK CAPER research community continues to advance the underpinning science and engages closely with the user community in government departments.

Using data from the China Social Survey 2013 and statistics from the Ministry of Environment Protection of China and the Institute of Public & Environment Affairs, this study empirically examines the relationship between actual and perceived air pollution and the moderating effect of environmental transparency on that relationship with a multilevel ordered logistic strategy. Estimations indicate a significant congruence of actual (both particulate matter less than 10 µm in diameter and sulfur dioxide) and perceived air pollution. More importantly, environmental transparency of local government is found to moderate the relationship between actual and perceived air pollution by neutralizing the halo effects and building more alert perceptions when local air quality deteriorates. Our findings not only challenge the work of identifying a mismatch of actual–perceived air pollution in some developed countries but also suggest that, apart from abating actual air pollution, environmental transparency should be emphasized and strengthened in institutional buildings to help address pollution challenges in developing countries.