Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a typical pollutant that affects human health, climate, and environmental and ecological conditions. China has been experiencing high concentrations of SO2, particularly in urban areas, since the 1990s. In 2010, a "joint prevention and control" (JPC) policy was issued to...

This paper describes a new incentive-based pollution control program in China in which the environmental performance of firms is rated and reported to the public. Firms are rated from best to worst using five colors - green, blue, yellow, red, and black - and the ratings are disseminated to the...