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Abstract After high speed development on economics during the past decades, China have accumulated a lot of air environment problems. A lot of studies based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) have been done to measure China's air problem by using monthly or annual data. As the development of real-time air quality monitoring, more valuable daily data should be utilized to evaluate air problem. The present paper constructs a set of DEA models for calculating air quality, in which the integral and zero-sum gain constraints are considered to match the characteristics of daily air monitoring data. An empirical analysis have been done to measure the air quality of 31 main cities in China by using the daily Air Quality Index. There are two main finds as follows. Firstly, all the 31 major cities in China need to do more work to improve air quality, while there are significant differences between the performance of different cities. Secondly, the air quality of Chinese cities has changed over month, the best air quality appeared in August and September while the worst occurred in December and January. Also, we calculate the target values for improving the air quality of Chinese cities. Highlights • Daily Air Quality Index data is used to evaluate air quality in China. • A set of DEA approaches are construct by inserting integral and zero-sum gain constraints. • The air quality of Chinese cities have significant tendency of variation during different months. • Specific values are provided for Chinese cities to improve their air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper aims to assess the agricultural losses caused by the 2069 state-monitored heavily air polluting enterprises located in 899 Chinese counties. We examine the correlation between per capita number of state-monitored enterprises and other socio-economic indices to show the negative impacts of sulphur dioxide (SO2) industrial air pollution on agricultural development in the regions. Despite these enterprises being the main drivers of economic development in China's counties, surrounding agricultural land continues to be degraded because of the associated SO2 emissions. The cost of agricultural losses due to pollution is estimated at US$ 1.43 billion, representing 0.66% of the total agricultural value added of the 899 Chinese counties. The findings highlight the importance of cleaner production and have policy implications for dealing with industrial air pollution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Reducing environmental pressure is a major concern for China but despite the improvements in energy efficiency, its gross carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have maintained an upward trend, consistent with the Jevons Paradox. A fundamental shift is thus needed at all levels, including the household. This paper explores the embedded carbon footprint (ECF) of Chinese urban households associated with activities, such as food, personal transport, communications, education, recreation, health and hygiene. It uses an input–output model for carbon emissions and 2003–2009 urban household data. The results show that the total ECF emission intensity increases when an individual''s consumption is higher than 10,000 Yuan (¥). Structural changes are further observed with consumption expenditure above ¥10,000: food, clothing and other survival-oriented emissions intensities as well as education, health and development-oriented emissions intensities reduce; transport, recreation, housing and enjoyment-oriented emissions intensities increase or remain stable and the total emissions intensity increases. Currently per capita consumption expenditure of Chinese urban residents exceeds ¥10,000 and as income continues to rise, China will remain on a high-carbon track. There is a need for better policies, management and behavioural change and the study provides some policy suggestions, including a carbon quota system to guide individual consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]