Can the use of clean energy improve the cognitive ability of the rural elderly? Evidence from clean heating policy in northern China

The clean transformation of traditional energy sources is of great significance for the formation and development of human capital in rural areas. We use 5-wave survey from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) between 2011 and 2020, and based on the quasi-experiment of the "winter clean heating" policy in northern regions implemented by the Chinese government, construct a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to estimate the impact of large-scale clean energy use in northern rural China on cognitive impairment among the elderly. We find that the clean heating policy improved the average cognitive ability of the elderly in rural northern China by 3.3%. This policy has a positive impact on the cognitive ability of the elderly by increasing the likelihood of clean energy use in rural households and improving local air quality. Heterogeneity studies find that the "winter clean heating" policy has a more pronounced effect on elderly women with less education levels and those living with their children. Our study provides empirical evidence for the formulation of energy transition and clean heating policies in developing countries.