The impact of political leader's absence on air quality

Despite a significant amount of academic interest in politicians, there is little empirical research on the impact of their absence on the air quality in the areas under their jurisdiction. This study therefore examines the impact of city leaders' absence on local air quality. Using hand-collected data in Chinese cities from 2003 to 2018, we find that a city leader's absence reduces air pollutant emissions and improves air quality. We also …