A new VoxDev article spotlights research co-led by Bren School Professors Sarah Anderson and Mark Buntaine, showing how increased government transparency can dramatically reduce pollution and improve public health. The study, conducted in partnership with Chinese environmental organizations, examined whether prompting cities to publicly disclose pollution information would result in better enforcement of environmental regulations—and the answer is a resounding yes.
In a randomized controlled trial across 50 cities, the researchers publicly rated 25 municipal governments using the Pollution Information Transparency Index (PITI), while keeping ratings for the remaining cities private. Cities whose transparency was publicly assessed not only disclosed more environmental information but also saw measurable improvements: ambient air pollution dropped by 8–10%, and violations by industrial firms fell by 37%, effects that lasted up to five years.
Perhaps most striking, these improvements were driven by increased government inspections rather than public outrage or media pressure. The study found no rise in internet search activity around pollution terms, suggesting that the reforms stemmed from institutional oversight—an important insight for regulators worldwide. By isolating transparency as a causal driver, the study moves beyond correlation and demonstrates the real-world impact of policy openness.
This research offers vital lessons for governments globally, especially where enforcement—not legislation—is the main barrier to environmental protection. Anderson and Buntaine’s work supports a growing international push to use transparency as a cost-effective, scalable tool for policy implementation.