空气污染与劳动生产率——基于监狱工厂数据的实证分析

Impact of Air Pollution on Labor Productivity——Evidence from a Prison Factory Data

本文利用监狱服刑人员的计件工资数据分析了空气污染对劳动生产率的影响,并借助逆温现象对空气污染的外生冲击识别了两者间的因果关系。研究发现,空气污染指数(API)每增加10个单位,致使服刑人员的计件工资减少4%;空气污染与劳动生产率之间呈倒U形关系——随着污染加重,劳动生产率急剧降低。本文从劳动生产率角度拓展了对空气污染负面外部性的理解,并说明了优先控制极端污染对减轻空气污染对劳动生产率负面影响的重要性。

This study examines the causal relationship between air pollution and labor productivity,by adopting a prison factory data for a perfect measure of the labor productivity.To address the endogeneity of air pollution,an instrumental variable strategy has also been used.Results show that a 10-unit increase in air pollution index leads to a significant decrease in labor productivity by 4%.An inverse-U shaped relationship between air pollution and labor productivity has also been suggested,which implies that the extreme air pollution reduces labor productivity heavily.This study emphasizes the negative externality of air pollution on labor productivity.