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. 2020;13(6):683-694.
doi: 10.1007/s11869-020-00845-3. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Valuation of air pollution externalities: comparative assessment of economic damage and emission reduction under COVID-19 lockdown

Hemant Bherwani  1   2 , Moorthy Nair  3 , Kavya Musugu  1 , Sneha Gautam  4 , Ankit Gupta  1   2 , Atya Kapley  1   2 , Rakesh Kumar  1   2
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Valuation of air pollution externalities: comparative assessment of economic damage and emission reduction under COVID-19 lockdown

Hemant Bherwani et al. Air Qual Atmos Health. 2020.

Abstract

Air pollution (AP) is one of the major causes of health risks as it leads to widespread morbidity and mortality each year. Its environmental impacts include acid rains, reduced visibility, but more importantly and significantly, it affects human health. The price tag of not managing AP is seen in the rise of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease, and respiratory ailments like asthma and chronic bronchitis. But as the world battles the corona pandemic, COVID-19 lockdown has abruptly halted human activity, leading to a significant reduction in AP levels. The effect of this reduction is captured by reduced cases of morbidity and mortality associated with air pollution. The current study aims to monetarily quantify the decline in health impacts due to reduced AP levels under lockdown scenario, as against business as usual, for four cities-Delhi, London, Paris, and Wuhan. The exposure assessment with respect to pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), NO2, and SO2 are evaluated. Value of statistical life (VSL), cost of illness (CoI), and per capita income (PCI) for disability-adjusted life years (DALY) are used to monetize the health impacts for the year 2019 and 2020, considering the respective period of COVID-19 lockdown of four cities. The preventive benefits related to reduced AP due to lockdown is evaluated in comparison to economic damage sustained by these four cities. This helps in understanding the magnitude of actual damage and brings out a more holistic picture of the damages related to lockdown.

Keywords: Air pollution; COVID – 19; Coronavirus; Economy; Externalities; Mortality.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study area and geographical location of cities
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mortality and morbidity for the study period in 2020 as against 2019
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Comparative morbidity losses for each city
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Mortality damages for air pollutants for 2019 and 2020
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
AP damage prevented due to lockdown in comparison to economic damage
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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