The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection

Abstract This study establishes spatial difference-in-differences models to investigate the causal correlation between metro and urban environment, and introduces marginal effects analysis method to examine the direct and indirect effects of metro on urban air quality. The empirical results indicate...

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Main Authors: Zhibin Tao, Xuesong Feng, Hanbing Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98855-7
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author Zhibin Tao
Xuesong Feng
Hanbing Wang
author_facet Zhibin Tao
Xuesong Feng
Hanbing Wang
author_sort Zhibin Tao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study establishes spatial difference-in-differences models to investigate the causal correlation between metro and urban environment, and introduces marginal effects analysis method to examine the direct and indirect effects of metro on urban air quality. The empirical results indicate that metro is able to improve the air quality of the whole city remarkably through promoting citizens to transfer transportation modes. Nevertheless, this effect is imbalance in both time and space. The ability of metro improving air quality is more significant during morning peak and evening peak along the metro line. Furthermore, due to the influence of induced traffic volumes, the ability of metro to improve urban air quality is weakened as time goes by. Therefore, policymakers should make the route of the metro coincide with the commuting direction of citizens to the greatest extent when making a rational metro development plan. Moreover, policies limiting the growth of private cars ought to be formulated synchronously to maximize the positive externality of the metro on urban environment.
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spelling doaj-art-2b36e51d2b4c44c0892be9b59f485ea12025-08-20T02:19:57ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-98855-7The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protectionZhibin Tao0Xuesong Feng1Hanbing Wang2School of Traffic and Transportation, Beijing Jiaotong UniversitySchool of Traffic and Transportation, Beijing Jiaotong UniversitySchool of Traffic and Transportation, Beijing Jiaotong UniversityAbstract This study establishes spatial difference-in-differences models to investigate the causal correlation between metro and urban environment, and introduces marginal effects analysis method to examine the direct and indirect effects of metro on urban air quality. The empirical results indicate that metro is able to improve the air quality of the whole city remarkably through promoting citizens to transfer transportation modes. Nevertheless, this effect is imbalance in both time and space. The ability of metro improving air quality is more significant during morning peak and evening peak along the metro line. Furthermore, due to the influence of induced traffic volumes, the ability of metro to improve urban air quality is weakened as time goes by. Therefore, policymakers should make the route of the metro coincide with the commuting direction of citizens to the greatest extent when making a rational metro development plan. Moreover, policies limiting the growth of private cars ought to be formulated synchronously to maximize the positive externality of the metro on urban environment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98855-7MetroUrban air qualitySpatial difference-in-differences modelRobustness testsMarginal effects
spellingShingle Zhibin Tao
Xuesong Feng
Hanbing Wang
The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection
Scientific Reports
Metro
Urban air quality
Spatial difference-in-differences model
Robustness tests
Marginal effects
title The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection
title_full The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection
title_fullStr The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection
title_full_unstemmed The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection
title_short The spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection
title_sort spatiotemporal and multilevel impacts of metro on urban environmental protection
topic Metro
Urban air quality
Spatial difference-in-differences model
Robustness tests
Marginal effects
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98855-7
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