Urban carbon reduction and public health outcomes

The theoretical contribution of this paper is that it uncovers the health-related impacts of low-carbon policies, which have the potential to reduce resident mortality rates. On the basis of a sample of Chinese cities from 2006 to 2019, this study reveals a significant reduction in the mortality rate among residents due to the implementation of low-carbon city pilot (LCP) policies. Robustness tests further support the negative causal impact of welfare policies on mortality rates. The study revealed that LCP policies indeed decrease carbon emissions and air pollution, thereby safeguarding public health. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that the health benefits of LCP policies are more pronounced among urban residents with lower health endowments. Mechanistic analysis revealed that LCP policies enhance residents' health levels by restraining urbanization processes and stimulating green innovation.