Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban China
Abstract Despite robust evidence demonstrating its efficacy in reducing carbon emissions, the impact of carbon emission trading (CET) policies on mental health remains largely unexplored. Based on a difference-in-differences methodology, this study uses the four waves of 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 o...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05171-6 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849238819237265408 |
|---|---|
| author | Pengpei Liu Xuelei Yang Xingrong Liu |
| author_facet | Pengpei Liu Xuelei Yang Xingrong Liu |
| author_sort | Pengpei Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Despite robust evidence demonstrating its efficacy in reducing carbon emissions, the impact of carbon emission trading (CET) policies on mental health remains largely unexplored. Based on a difference-in-differences methodology, this study uses the four waves of 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) dataset to ascertain the causal effect of introducing pilot CET schemes on depression among middle-aged and elderly individuals in urban China. The findings reveal a significant increase in the risk of depression following policy implementation, with varying effects observed across demographic groups and regions, especially among older adults and relatively higher socioeconomic status. Furthermore, a mechanistic analysis suggests that immediate word recall, a measure of memory deficits, serves as a mediator in the relationship between policy implementation and depression, while stressful life events exacerbate the policy’s impact. The study concludes with several recommendations aimed at mitigating the unintended mental health consequences associated with the implementation of similar policies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0be5823f6eca46baa17c5a8838ad1341 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-0be5823f6eca46baa17c5a8838ad13412025-08-20T04:01:24ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-07-0112111310.1057/s41599-025-05171-6Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban ChinaPengpei Liu0Xuelei Yang1Xingrong Liu2School of Business, Southern University of Science and TechnologyCollege of Economics and Management, Northeast Forestry UniversityInstitute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou UniversityAbstract Despite robust evidence demonstrating its efficacy in reducing carbon emissions, the impact of carbon emission trading (CET) policies on mental health remains largely unexplored. Based on a difference-in-differences methodology, this study uses the four waves of 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) dataset to ascertain the causal effect of introducing pilot CET schemes on depression among middle-aged and elderly individuals in urban China. The findings reveal a significant increase in the risk of depression following policy implementation, with varying effects observed across demographic groups and regions, especially among older adults and relatively higher socioeconomic status. Furthermore, a mechanistic analysis suggests that immediate word recall, a measure of memory deficits, serves as a mediator in the relationship between policy implementation and depression, while stressful life events exacerbate the policy’s impact. The study concludes with several recommendations aimed at mitigating the unintended mental health consequences associated with the implementation of similar policies.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05171-6 |
| spellingShingle | Pengpei Liu Xuelei Yang Xingrong Liu Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban China Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban China |
| title_full | Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban China |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban China |
| title_short | Assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies: evidence from urban China |
| title_sort | assessing the mental health implications of carbon trading policies evidence from urban china |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05171-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pengpeiliu assessingthementalhealthimplicationsofcarbontradingpoliciesevidencefromurbanchina AT xueleiyang assessingthementalhealthimplicationsofcarbontradingpoliciesevidencefromurbanchina AT xingrongliu assessingthementalhealthimplicationsofcarbontradingpoliciesevidencefromurbanchina |