Has China’s Pilot Policy of Water Ecological Civilization City Construction Reduced Water Pollution Intensity?

To address the deterioration of water ecological environment, China’s Ministry Water Resources launched 105 pilot projects for construction civilized cities in two batches 2013 and 2014. Based on panel data 283 China from 2008 to 2020, this study, we investigate impact policy civilization city pollution intensity using difference-in-differences method. We found that sample period exhibited a downward trend, decreasing most rapidly during period. Controlling urbanization level, technological innovation, import export trade, foreign investment, our study results show significantly reduced intensity. Mechanism analysis shows reduction effect was achieved through channels optimizing industrial structure, increasing sewage treatment, promoting recycling, progress, speeding up price reform. The also terms reducing is heterogenous across time, addition exhibiting regional heterogeneity owing differences levels economic development, resource endowment, environmental regulation research provide reference other countries similar reduce intensity, improve environment process development.