Incentivizing Citizens to Participate in Environmental Governance: A Field Experiment

Existing evidence suggests that citizen participation in environmental governance can significantly improve the accountability of regulation enforcement, thereby leading to better environmental outcomes in China. This project is a field experiment designed to evaluate how different incentives can increase citizen participation in environmental governance in China, particularly in response to pollution violations by industrial firms. Building on China’s real-time emissions data platform (CEMS), the study tests seven interventions, ranging from providing generic information, correcting biases, reducing participation costs, offering monetary rewards, leveraging peer effects, and combining all approaches, by sending tailored Weibo messages to residents near frequent polluters. The goal is to identify which strategies most effectively motivate individuals to file environmental appeals, a proven method to reduce pollution. The study not only seeks to understand behavioral drivers of civic engagement but also offers actionable insights for policymakers aiming to enhance enforcement through public involvement, especially under China’s evolving environmental whistleblower reward policies.