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Air pollution and income distribution in India

Author

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  • Kakali Mukhopadhyay

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, McGill University, MacDonald Campus, Canada)

Abstract

Concern over the environmental effects of fossil fuels in India has been growing as domestic consumption levels increase. Along with industry, households are major consumers of commercial energy and, consequently, major contributors to the total energy use in India. Emission levels in the country are gradually increasing. The present study estimates emissions related to fossil fuel combustion in India and also identifies the factors responsible for changes in those emissions during the 1980s and 1990s. Results show that the factor relating to changes in final demand, which reflect increased economic growth, had the greatest influence on emission levels. The study disaggregates households into three income groups, examining the contribution each makes to fossil-fuel-based pollution in India with respect to the various factors identified. Analysis indicates that higher- and middle-income groups generated more pollution due to excessive and inefficient consumption of commercial energy. The paper concludes with a discussion of policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Kakali Mukhopadhyay, 2008. "Air pollution and income distribution in India," Asia-Pacific Development Journal, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), vol. 15(1), pages 35-64, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:unt:jnapdj:v:15:y:2008:i:1:p:35-64
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Asongu, Simplice & Agboola, Mary & Alola, Andrew & Bekun, Festus, 2019. "The criticality of growth, urbanization, electricity and fossil fuel consumption to environment sustainability in Africa," MPRA Paper 102056, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Jayanthakumaran, Kankesu & Verma, Reetu & Liu, Ying, 2012. "CO2 emissions, energy consumption, trade and income: A comparative analysis of China and India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 450-460.
    3. Siddhartha Pradeep, 2022. "Role of monetary policy on CO2 emissions in India," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 1-33, January.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • C67 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Input-Output Models
    • D57 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Input-Output Tables and Analysis
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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