This study investigates changes in the enforcement performance of environmental regulations and their underlying causes following the decentralization of authority over facilities that emit air and water pollutants. Using data from 2003 to 2023, a com...
This study investigates changes in the enforcement performance of environmental regulations and their underlying causes following the decentralization of authority over facilities that emit air and water pollutants. Using data from 2003 to 2023, a comparative analysis was conducted on enforcement records for emission-generating businesses across 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, dividing the period into a pre-decentralization phase (2003–2012) and a post-decentralization phase (2013–2023). A panel data analysis was also performed to examine the factors influencing enforcement outcomes.
The analysis revealed that, compared to the pre-decentralization period, the overall level of environmental regulation enforcement increased in the post-decentralization period for both air and water pollutant-emitting facilities. However, the intensity of enforcement diverged by pollutant type: it increased for air pollutant sources but decreased for water pollutant sources, indicating medium-specific differences in enforcement trends.
Panel analysis of influencing factors showed that a higher degree of decentralization was associated with increases in both the level and intensity of enforcement for air pollutant-emitting facilities. Among internal administrative factors, human resources positively affected enforcement levels for water pollutant-emitting facilities, while financial capacity had a positive impact on enforcement levels for air pollutant-emitting facilities.
Among external environmental factors, the influence of regulated entities negatively affected enforcement levels for water pollutant sources, suggesting that controlling such influence is crucial for effective enforcement. Conversely, collaborative governance with regulated entities positively contributed to both the level and intensity of enforcement for facilities emitting both air and water pollutants.