THE ECONOMICS OF AIR POLLUTION AND ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC APPROACHES TO HEALTH

Year 2016, Volume: 66 Issue: 2, 1 - 29, 01.12.2016

Dilek Demirbaş

https://doi.org/10.26560/iuifm.331663

Abstract

Although there has been reasonable progress in the epidemiology of air
pollution, significant changes in international air pollution guidelines, and
the emergence of more systematic approaches to air pollution control, there
has been little attempt to explain the origin of the air pollution problem in
the first place. How did we come to this point? It is a fact that Neoclassical
Environmental Economic view, even if it is not the sole cause, is still a major
influence for the theories of natural capitalism and environmental finances.
Therefore, with this increasing influence, Neoclassical Environmental
Economics have been at the very centre of public policies on environmental
issues for decades. The question of whether Neoclassical Environmental
Economics is the best economic approach for policy decision-making is
a very controversial subject, and there are few alternative approaches to
Neoclassical Environmental Economics. This study provides some insight
into air pollution and its impacts on health, starting from the Neoclassical
Economic perspective and reviewing the main alternative approaches to
reach a very balanced global environmental understanding. 

Keywords

Air Pollution, Health impacts, Economics, Policy aspects, Environment

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