RESEARCHT WORKING PAPER t170p4 [POLICY

# Summary findings

China's environmental regulators rt spond to more han 100,000 citizen complaints a year, 'I he complainit process undoubtedly provides uie.ul infe-rmaltion hel-ps encourage corrmuniry participation in enivironmental pol,cy. 13ut **it** also dir cts a bug sliate **(.of** inspecTion resources _tO_ areas wh7ere people rend to complai1n.

treranyzig provincial data for 1987-93, Dasgupca an 7heeler fir.d the subsequent allocation of remoources biased, in terms of socil welfare. 'T he incidenict (of comrplainis refiects potential abat!mncnf henefits and the u,ntunsltv ow exposure to lilghly vIslb piollutants. Howevet, citi7en compkaints seem.. **nor** to be .ilfecrtd by huarrnfI pollutants ,hat are iess L And al, education seems to _have_ a stror7g ; **n** d-perdent etlteC o _0._ propensity to coimipl1ain. R iving on comnplaints a,one wvould lead -o inappropriately lc,w aliocatiion of Inspecton resources to less-educated, relatively "silent" rcgions.

Citizens' incomplete iriformatino creates the biggest problem for regulators who retly on cornpiaints for guidance. To compensate for this probtlem, say Dasgupta and Wheele-, agencies should invest in **public** environmental educationi targeted especially to comrlmuni;ties witih less schooling. 'Tlhey might also explore targeted Outreach programis, Since poorly ed_ticattd people may ailso be more timid about comr,phlining.

More important, Dasgupta **and(** 'WXheeler recornmend giving ptrioritt-, tO rechnical **r1sk-** assessments in deter -ining resoirce allocation. () L.r tine, citizen Crsp ixntF sh.ot: d decline if regnilators establish strategic _ri nou_ ocs and pursue ihem systematically, while inainr ir:ing close contact with the communities affected.

' his paper -a producr ot ,lc Eu **i** ye!Otent, 1 otrastructuic, and Ag-iculture Division, Policv Ree arc.h Department-is par-tof a larger reffor t in1 the departrneot **tf** tditrstandl thae econoni 'cs ot Indnlstrril poillution co-ntro)l in developing cotmntries. I'he study was fundied by thie Ba!nk's **F.** -s'rrcr 8 ),p-o- t Budget un-der research project "'I'he Fconomi 5of [rtdistriai Pollution **k-ootlrol** in Developing Countri s (I-PO **e780-`0).** )Copies ofr this tar-r are available free front thle World Bank, 1818 H 8.rcreer NW, Washington. DC 4I **P** it,lae H. cnt t I'Xivn :gtmF 0 de C .Stf . ronir NI 0-lO 9, telephorie 2()2 45'-9121, fax 202522-3210. Internet acidress ecca aro-. r ,ut irs u **i** k.org, **fanuary** I **00** ( p7 gf )

> _1 he l'olicv Research_ Wotifking _Plcer Se ies di,serniatcs t.e !InaJns w o,;k_ **_in_** _progress to encoage the_ **_exchange_** _of ideas_ **_abot_** _develo ment issues. An objei rit be srt rcs :s to et_ **_f-_** _the fingsd_ **_oit_** _elo e n ifb he presentatro'o_ **_are_** _less than fully polished. The papers carry the nimes of the aurhors lnI should_ **_he_** _c ited accrordingly. 7he tndings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this puapep_ **_are_** _entirely_ **_these_** _crf the nath,es. Ih ievc ?mt niccssaroiy reobesent th' uicu ol the World Bank,_ **_its_** _Executive Directors, or the countries they represent_

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