Urban Air Quality and Human Health in Latin America and the Caribbean

Author
Krupnick, Alan J.;
O'Ryan, Raúl;
Date
Oct 2005
Health problems due to poor air quality have been among the main environmental concerns in Mexico City, Santiago, Bogotá, Sao Paulo, Lima, Quito among other cities in the region. This study provides quantitative estimates of key air pollution concentrations, health impacts, and the monetary value of improving air quality in 41 major LAC urban areas containing 100 million people in all. While the estimates the authors derive are not finite, they allow comparisons across cities and show the significance of air quality improvements for the region as a whole. From a policy perspective, the estimates highlight the real economic value of improvements in urban air quality and give policy analysts a basis for analyzing policies and abatement measures for their net benefits to society.