Urban pollution: A global perspective
- We use worldwide satellite data to analyse how population size and density affect urban pollution. We find that density significantly increases pollution exposure. Looking only at urban areas, we find that population size affects exposure more than density. Moreover, the effect is driven mostly by population commuting to core cities rather than the core city population itself. We analyse heterogeneity by geography and income levels. By and large, the influence of population on pollution is greatest in Asia and middle-income countries. A counterfactual simulation shows that PM2.5 exposure would fall by up to 36% and NO2 exposure up to 53% if within countries population size were equalized across all cities.
Document Type: | Working Paper |
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Language: | English |
Author(s): | Rainald Borck, Philipp Schrauth |
Contributing Corporation: | Berlin School of Economics |
Parent Title (English): | Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers |
Hertie Collections (Serial Number): | Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers (8) |
Publication year: | 2022 |
Publishing Institution: | Hertie School |
Number pages: | 50 |
Related URL: | https://berlinschoolofeconomics.de/insights/bse-discussion-papers |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.48462/opus4-4679 |
Contributing Corporation: | Berlin School of Economics |
Release Date: | 2022/12/14 |
Tag: | Population density, air pollution, gridded data |
Edition: | No. 8 |
Hertie School Research: | BerlinSchoolOfEcon_Discussion_Papers |
Licence of document (German): | ![]() |