Nature, Published online: 13 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02545-3

Crop-residue burning in South Asia decreases by up to 14.5% when smoke from fires would affect bureaucrats’ home districts instead of neighbouring ones. Bureaucratic action to punish farmers deters future fires by a further 13%. Thus, using administrator incentives to control crop burning could guide policy towards improving air quality and reducing infant and child mortality.

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