Disparities in Avoidance Behaviours to Air Quality Information Disclosure Exacerbate Environmental Inequality

Environmental inequality among people of different socioeconomic statuses are well documented in the literature. However, the effects of individual avoidance behaviours on the inequality are often overlooked. We address this question by examining how individuals of different socioeconomic statuses adapt their daily travel behaviors in response to air pollution information. We apply the regression discontinuity (RD) design using individual-level travel records from the Fifth Beijing Urban Transportation Comprehensive Survey. The results demonstrate that air pollution information disclosure significantly reduces the probability and duration of travel. This effect is weaker in the low-income group than in the high-income group, indicating it exacerbates environmental inequality. Moreover, the results reveal that lower avoidance behaviours in the low-income group, compared to the high-income group, stem from lower avoidance awareness and capability. These findings highlight the importance of considering avoidance behaviours when addressing environmental inequality.