The air quality and well-being effects of low emission zones

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Sarmiento, Luis; Waegner, Nicole; Zaklan, Aleksandar
• 署名单位: Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC); Leibniz Association; DIW Berlin - Deutsches Institut fur Wirtschaftsforschung; Leibniz Association; RWI - Leibniz Institut fur Wirtschaftsforschung; Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2023.105014
• 发表日期: 2023
• 关键词: Low emission zones; air quality; Well-being; HEALTH; difference-in-differences

摘要

This study provides the first evidence of the subjective well-being impacts of low emission zones (LEZs) while also undertaking a comprehensive analysis of their air quality effects. We identify causal impacts by exploiting the zones' introduction date with difference-in-differences designs robust to staggered implementations and time-varying treatment effects. Results show air quality improvements through reductions in traffic-related pollutants despite ground-level ozone increases and harmful spatial pollution spillovers. We further find that the zones cause transitory yet long-lasting reductions in individuals' life satisfaction despite health benefits, suggesting that the subjective well-being effects of restricting mobility potentially outweigh those of improved health.