Robert W. Mead

Valuing Air Pollution Mortality in China's Cities

Although China has made tremendous economic progress in recent years, air pollution continues to exact significant health and economic costs. Using pollution data from 38 Chinese cities and China-based epidemiological functions, this paper estimates some of the economic benefits of reducing urban air pollution. It calculates the averted mortality which would result from the clean-up of particulates, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide—a pollutant not included in most previous China studies. The paper expands on earlier studies by examining the impact of seasonal variations in pollution levels. Finally, the monetary valuation of pollution-related averted mortality is developed using a China-based valuation study and, for a number of cities, the valuation is compared with city-level GDP.

Protecting China's children: valuing the health impacts of reduced air pollution in Chinese cities

As China advances its overall program of economic development, many Chinese cities consistently suffer from unhealthy levels of air pollution. One of the groups most affected is children. This paper provides some quantification regarding the extent of various morbidity costs upon children in portions of urban China. Using China-based health-effects and valuation studies, the authors project, and value in dollar figures, the number of averted cases of childhood colds, bronchitis, asthma, and respiratory-related hospital visits resulting from a lowering of air pollution levels. The results indicate that these child morbidity benefits may be substantial, with a mid-range value of nearly

Blue skies in Beijing? Looking at the Olympic effect.

3.5 billion over the period 2002–2011.

Adjusting Chinese income inequality for environmental equity

As part of its preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing has undertaken significant environmental cleanup activities. These offer a potentially significant ancillary benefit—the improvements in health that result from a less polluted urban airshed. Using China-based health-effects studies, the authors project, and value in dollar figures, the number of averted deaths, hospital outpatient visits, and emergency room visits resulting from the lowered air pollution—what the authors call “the Olympic effect.” Unlike previous studies on the health effects of pollution in China, they use seasonal breakdowns to isolate the impact of seasonal variations in pollution levels and to more accurately separate out the health impacts of the different types of pollutants. Their results indicate that the Olympic effect is substantial, with a midrange value of health improvements exceeding

Environmental Cleanup and Health Gains from Beijing's Green Olympics

29 billion in 2000 dollars over the period 1999-2008.

Valuing the adult health effects of air pollution in Chinese cities.

Given the extensive discussion of Chinas air pollution and urban income inequality problems, relatively little attention has been paid to any relationship which may exist between the two. This paper seeks to do so, by exploring the existence of environmental equity in China. Specifically, we first calculate traditional measures of urban income inequality (the Gini coefficient and Theils T and L indices) for the years 1995 and 2004. Then, we estimate ‘pollution-adjusted’ incomes using China-based health functions and economic valuation studies, and recalculate the income (or now welfare) inequality measures. The results indicate that as pollution cleanup efforts gain traction over time, the regressive consequences of pollution may diminish. We thus conclude with an encouraging note for developing countries: improving welfare distribution can coexist with an improving environment.

China's agricultural reforms: The importance of private plots

In announcing its bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing chose a “Green Olympics” theme to indicate that hosting the Olympic Games would serve as a catalyst for environmental improvements and sustainable development. With the Olympics now just a short time away, it is appropriate to examine the citys cleanup progress to date. This article does so, and also quantifies some of the health benefits of these cleanup activities, placing an economic value on the gains. Results for air pollution cleanup indicate an economic gain of nearly 50 billion yuan over a ten-year period, with a potential annual gain of 3.5 billion yuan for reaching air quality standards. Water pollution results suggest a potential annual gain of another 2.6 billion yuan.

Rise of the Automobiles: the costs of increased NO2 pollution in China's changing urban environment

Abstract:  Chinas ongoing economic growth is accompanied by a large amount of air pollution that exacts significant health and economic costs on its people. Following up on some earlier work focusing upon general mortality and child‐specific health effects, this article uses a larger data set, covering more than 90 Chinese cities, along with a set of China‐based epidemiological functions, to estimate some of the adult health benefits of reducing urban air pollution. Projecting future air pollution based upon current conditions, it calculates the averted mortality and morbidity effects that would result from the cleanup of particulates, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The inclusion of nitrogen dioxide in our analysis is particularly important because it is a growing problem and has not been included in most of the more widely known studies that examine Chinese air pollution. Finally, the economic valuation of these pollution‐related health effects is developed, using a number of recent, China‐based valuation studies.

Searching for an Environmental Kuznets Curve in China's air pollution

Abstract Largely unexplored by post-reform economic research, pre-reform sociological and anthropological evidence indicates a strong preference among Chinese households to work in and allocate a disproportionate share of non-land inputs to individual private plots. Using various estimated Chinese and multinational agricultural production functions, this article seeks to quantify how much of the increase in Chinas agricultural output between 1980 and 1984 can be explained by eliminating these inefficient input allocations. Results indicate that as much as 53 percent of increased farm output may be explained by changes in input allocations. Moreover, because they involve only a reallocation of existing inputs, these results are separate from the changes in labor incentives and effort, which also characterized the agricultural reforms. Multinational agricultural production functions, however, suggest that similar results may not be realized in other formerly socialist countries.

Health benefits of tunneling through the Chinese environmental Kuznets curve (EKC)

Chinas rapidly growing motor vehicle fleet is changing the makeup of its urban atmosphere. While the two major problem pollutants historically have been particulates and sulfur dioxide, the growth in the number of automobiles has generated substantially increased levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This paper examines and values the mortality health effects (reduced premature deaths) from cleaning up these three pollutants. Findings indicate that valued gains from reduced air pollution mortality can average 3% of a citys GDP. Moreover, the growing auto fleet may generate a ten-fold increase in NO2-based mortality costs and offset other, ongoing cleanup efforts in many Chinese cities. Specifically, the paper explores how the increasing number of automobiles might diminish or offset environmental cleanup activities focused upon particulate and sulfur dioxide pollution.