The long-term human capital and health impacts of a pollution reduction programme

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Fukushima, Nanna, von Hinke, Stephanie, Sørensen, Emil N.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Fukushima, Nanna
von Hinke, Stephanie
Sørensen, Emil N.
author_facet Fukushima, Nanna
von Hinke, Stephanie
Sørensen, Emil N.
contents This paper investigates the effects of the staggered roll-out of a pollution reduction programme introduced in the UK in the 1950s. The policy allowed local authorities to introduce so-called Smoke Control Areas (SCAs) which banned smoke emissions. We start by digitizing historical pollution data to show that the policy led to an immediate reduction in black smoke concentrations. We then merge data on the exact location, boundary and month of introduction of SCAs to individual-level outcomes in older age using individuals' year-month and location of birth. We show that exposure to the programme increased individuals' birth weights as well as height in adulthood. We find no impact on their years of education or fluid intelligence.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_11839
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The long-term human capital and health impacts of a pollution reduction programme
Fukushima, Nanna
von Hinke, Stephanie
Sørensen, Emil N.
General Economics
Economics
This paper investigates the effects of the staggered roll-out of a pollution reduction programme introduced in the UK in the 1950s. The policy allowed local authorities to introduce so-called Smoke Control Areas (SCAs) which banned smoke emissions. We start by digitizing historical pollution data to show that the policy led to an immediate reduction in black smoke concentrations. We then merge data on the exact location, boundary and month of introduction of SCAs to individual-level outcomes in older age using individuals' year-month and location of birth. We show that exposure to the programme increased individuals' birth weights as well as height in adulthood. We find no impact on their years of education or fluid intelligence.
title The long-term human capital and health impacts of a pollution reduction programme
topic General Economics
Economics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.11839