Benefits of clean air : a case study from India

This policy brief is based on SANDEE working paper no. 17-06, "Valuation of urban air pollution : a case study of Kanpur city in India"In cities across South Asia, air pollution is fast becoming a critical problem. As vehicle congestion gets worse, industrialization expands, and energy use soars, air quality in urban centres is reaching potentially hazardous levels. This is producing a wide range of social and environmental problems, particularly with regard to people’s health. This, in turn, is placing a significant economic burden on individuals and society in general, in terms of health costs and loss of economic productivity. Improving air quality calls for a wide-range of responses, many of which can be costly and therefore difficult to politically administer. To ensure that air clean-up policies are cost-effective and have the necessary political backing, it is vital that accurate information is available on the potential economic benefits of pollution