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Spatial Aggregation Bias in Implicit Prices of Environmental Amenities

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  • Nathaly M Rivera

    (University of Alaska Anchorage)

Abstract

Applications of hedonic price functions aimed at eliciting implicit prices of environmental goods generally rely on spatially aggregated measures to proxy for micro-level perceptions of these amenities. This paper provides empirical evidence of the bias that arises in the elicitation of these implicit prices due to spatial aggregation. Cross-sectional data on more than 12,000 rental homes is used to derive implicit prices of air quality, using households' perceptions of air pollution aggregated at different spatial levels. Results show that higher aggregation levels add a downward bias to marginal willingness-to-pay measures for air quality improvements, increasing point estimates of the price of air quality. These findings suggest caution when interpreting implicit prices elicited from spatially aggregated measures of environmental amenities.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathaly M Rivera, 2019. "Spatial Aggregation Bias in Implicit Prices of Environmental Amenities," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(2), pages 1184-1194.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-18-00997
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Spatial Aggregation Bias; Environmental Amenities; Air Quality; Hedonic Models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q0 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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