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Recessions and health: The impact of economic trends on air pollution in California

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  • Davis, M.E.

Abstract

Objectives. I explored the hypothesis that economic activity has a significant impact on exposure to air pollution and ultimately human health. Methods. I used county-level employment statistics in California (1980-2000), along with major regulatory periods and other controlling factors, to estimate local concentrations of the coefficient of haze, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide using a mixed regression model approach. Results. The model explained between 33% and 48% of the variability in air pollution levels as estimated by the overall R 2 values. The relationship between employment measures and air pollution was statistically significant, suggesting that air quality improves during economic downturns. Additionally, major air quality regulations played a significant role in reducing air pollution levels over the study period. Conclusions. This study provides important evidence of a role for the economy in understanding human exposure to environmental pollution. The evidence further suggests that the impact of environmental regulations are likely to be overstated when they occur during recessionary periods, and understated when they play out during periods of economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Davis, M.E., 2012. "Recessions and health: The impact of economic trends on air pollution in California," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(10), pages 1951-1956.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2012.300658_0
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300658
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    Cited by:

    1. Asli Demirgüç‐Kunt & Michael Lokshin & Iván Torre, 2021. "The sooner, the better: The economic impact of non‐pharmaceutical interventions during the early stage of the COVID‐19 pandemic," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(4), pages 551-573, October.
    2. Richard Bluhm & Pascal Polonik & Kyle S. Hemes & Luke C. Sanford & Susanne A. Benz & Morgan C. Levy & Katharine L. Ricke & Jennifer A. Burney, 2022. "Disparate air pollution reductions during California’s COVID-19 economic shutdown," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(6), pages 509-517, June.
    3. Chiachi Bonnie Lee & Chen-Mao Liao & Li-Hsin Peng & Chih-Ming Lin, 2019. "Economic fluctuations and cardiovascular diseases: A multiple-input time series analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, August.
    4. Guizhi Wang & Yingxi Song & Jibo Chen & Jun Yu, 2016. "Valuation of Haze Management and Prevention Using the Contingent Valuation Method with the Sure Independence Screening Algorithm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-11, March.
    5. Moinak Maiti & Pravin Jadhav, 2021. "Impact of pollution level, death rate and illness on economic growth: evidence from the global economy," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(9), pages 1-18, September.
    6. Quast, Troy & Gonzalez, Fidel, 2014. "Economic cycles and heart disease in Mexico," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 19-25.
    7. Olexiy Kyrychenko, 2021. "The Impact of the Crisis-inducted Reduction in Air Pollution on Infant Mortality in India: A Policy Perspective," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp702, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.

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