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Public Transport and Urban Pollution

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  • Rainald Borck

Abstract

The paper studies the effect of public transport policies on urban pollution. It uses a quantitative equilibrium model with residential choice and mode choice. Pollution comes from commuting and residential energy use. The model parameters are calibrated to replicate key variables for American metropolitan areas. In the counterfactual, I study how free public transport coupled with increasing transit speed affects the equilibrium. In the baseline simulation, total pollution falls by 0.2%, as decreasing emissions from transport are partly offset by rising residential emissions. A second counterfactual compares a city with and without public transit. This large investment decreases pollution by 1.6%. When jobs are decentralized, emissions fall by 0.3% in the first and by 3% in the second counterfactual.

Suggested Citation

  • Rainald Borck, 2017. "Public Transport and Urban Pollution," CESifo Working Paper Series 6606, CESifo.
  • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_6606
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Barros, Victor & Cruz, Carlos Oliveira & Júdice, Tomás & Sarmento, Joaquim Miranda, 2021. "Is taxation being effectively used to promote public transport in Europe?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 215-224.
    3. Borck, Rainald & Schrauth, Philipp, 2021. "Population density and urban air quality," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    4. Jakučionytė-Skodienė, Miglė & Krikštolaitis, Ričardas & Liobikienė, Genovaitė, 2022. "The contribution of changes in climate-friendly behaviour, climate change concern and personal responsibility to household greenhouse gas emissions: Heating/cooling and transport activities in the Eur," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    5. Niklas Gohl & Philipp Schrauth, 2022. "Ticket to Paradise? The Effect of a Public Transport Subsidy on Air Quality," CEPA Discussion Papers 50, Center for Economic Policy Analysis.
    6. Echaniz, Eneko & Cordera, Rubén & Rodriguez, Andrés & Nogués, Soledad & Coppola, Pierlugi & dell’Olio, Luigi, 2022. "Spatial and temporal variation of user satisfaction in public transport systems," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 88-97.
    7. Hörcher, Daniel & De Borger, Bruno & Seifu, Woubit & Graham, Daniel J., 2020. "Public transport provision under agglomeration economies," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    8. Han, Qing & Liu, Ying & Lu, Zilong, 2020. "Temporary driving restrictions, air pollution, and contemporaneous health: Evidence from China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    9. Klingen, Joris & van Ommeren, Jos, 2020. "Urban air pollution and time losses: Evidence from cyclists in London," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    public transport; pollution; discrete choice;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R48 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government Pricing and Policy

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