This paper studies temporal factors influencing the effectiveness of don't drive appeals (DDAs) which policy-makers use to encourage motorists to voluntarily reduce driving during transitory high pollution episodes. We derive and empirically validate a theoretical framework for DDAs where the...

People in many parts of North Macedonia are exposed to more toxic particulate matter air pollution than their neighbors in Western Europe. The burning of solid fuels for heating in homes and other buildings is a main driver of high ambient concentrations of particulate matter air pollution,...

The objective of this technical note is to inform the governments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania about ongoing efforts and opportunities to strengthen AQM governance to achieve better air quality in these countries. To this end, the note develops a framework by which to assess...

Vietnam has achieved great progress in both economic growth and poverty reduction; nevertheless, this economic growth is accompanied by an increase in resource use and other negative externalities, such as air pollution. This contributes significantly to environmental degradation and public...

Low emission zones (LEZ) represent a key environmental policy instrument to address air pollution in cities. LEZs have reduced air pollution and associated health damages in regulated areas, but it remains unclear who has benefited from cleaner air. To examine the distributional effects of LEZs,...

To support the green transition in the automotive sector, the EU has introduced CO2 emission performance standards, also known as the excess emissions premium (EEP) regulation, which will tighten until 2035. Manufacturers exceeding their average fleet emission targets must pay a penalty. The...

This report aims to enhance the understanding of the priorities, needs, and solutions for improving air quality (AQ) in Central Asia (CA) through local action and regional collaboration. It focuses on key components of holistic air quality management (AQM): evidence-based analytics to identify...

Hazardous air pollution poses significant health and economic challenges for Nepal. Air pollution raises public health concerns in Nepal, particularly in the country's two geographic hotspots: the Kathmandu Valley and the Terai (southern plain areas bordering India). In these two areas, the...

This paper documents the evolution of US carbon emissions and discusses the main factors that contributed to the historical carbon emissions rollercoaster. We divide the discussion into four periods - up to 1920, 1920-1960, 1960-2005 and after 2005. For each period, we discuss the main drivers...

This document provides technical details and support for the implementation of air quality monitoring under the Directive (EU) 2024/2881 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (recast) (AAQD, Directive (EU) 2024/2881)....

This document provides technical details and support to the implementation of air quality modelling under the revised Directive (EU) 2024/2881 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (recast) (European Commission, 2024)....

In September 2021, the city of Bogota' introduced a major market-based reform to its odd-even driving restriction, known as Pico y Placa. Since then, drivers have had the option to pay a daily congestion fee to be exempt from the restriction. We find t hat while the reform increased traffic, it...

To support the green transition in the automotive sector, the EU has introduced CO2 emission performance standards, also known as the excess emissions premium (EEP) regulation, which will tighten until 2035. Manufacturers exceeding their average fleet emission targets must pay a penalty. The...

This briefing is intended to support future European Commission policy action on methane abatement at the national, EU and international levels. Such actions will contribute to innovative solutions in the industry, agriculture and food sectors.

The overall objective for this service request was to provide the underlying analysis to support the preparation of the Commission's fourth Clean Air Outlook report. Alongside this, the outputs will also help to inform the Commission's review of the NEC Directive due in 2025. In line with the...

Air pollution has reduced steadily across Europe over recent decades, yet it remains the region's largest environmental health risk, causing diseases, lowering quality of life and leading to preventable deaths. The EU has set air quality standards to reduce risks posed by air pollution. This...

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a key indicator for assessing air quality and its associated health impacts. Accurate AQI calculations are crucial for reliable air quality assessments, but outliers in air quality data can distort these calculations, leading to inaccurate predictions. This paper...

The ongoing decline in environmental quality is one of the biggest global challenges facing humankind today. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences and similarities among the EU-27 countries regarding air pollution emissions (greenhouse gases and acidifying gases) and their...

Within the harmonisation programme of Air Quality monitoring in Europe the European Reference Laboratory of Air Pollution (ERLAP) organises Proficiency Tests (PT). During the period 11-14 of March 2024, including ERLAP, ten Laboratories of AQUILA (Network of European Air Quality Reference...

Air pollution represents the first environmental health problem in EU. The EU Action Plan: "Towards a Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil" provides a vision for 2025, including 2030 targets such as improving air quality to reduce the number of premature deaths. In this technical report we...

Within the harmonisation programme of Air Quality monitoring in Europe the European Reference Laboratory of Air Pollution (ERLAP) organises Proficiency Tests (PT). From 18-21 March 2024, eleven Laboratories of AQUILA (Network of European Air Quality Reference Laboratories, including ERLAP)...

This paper evaluates the aggregate impact of air pollution regulations introduced by the US Environmental Protection Agency in the early 2000s. We first provide regression evidence on the regulations' effects across industries and local labor markets. We then use these results to calibrate a...

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is becoming an emerging topic in climate policy. We review the nascent economic literature on the governance of CDR and discuss policy design and institutions. We first assess the role of CDR in climate policy portfolios that include abatement and adaptation. Cost...

The purpose of this toolkit is to provide advice and support for EU Member States, their regions or cities in the development of measures to mitigate the potential adverse impacts of bioenergy on air quality. Bioenergy use accounts for around 50% of the emissions of fine particulate matter...

Air pollution is the largest environmental health risk in Europe, causing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases that lead to the loss of healthy years of life and, in the worst cases, to preventable deaths. This briefing presents the status of concentrations of pollutants in ambient air in...

Despite significant progress, air pollution still causes €600 billion in losses each year in the European Union - equal to 4 percent of its annual GDP. These costs stem from productivity losses such as increased absenteeism, the reduction of in-job productivity and harm to ecosystems. Air...

This study quantifies the financial burden of acute air pollution on the French healthcare system. By combining comprehensive French administrative health data for a nationally representative sample with high-resolution geospatial data on air pollution and meteorological conditions, the...

Using a stacked differences-in-differences approach, we study the effects of Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in Germany. The implementation of stage 1 and 2 LEZs, which banned the most pollution-intensive vehicles from city centers, significantly reduced PM10 concentrations. The most restrictive third...

This paper explores the impact of China's low-carbon pilot policy on air pollution levels. Employing a difference-in-difference approach based on propensity score matching, we find that the policy significantly reduced air pollution in the pilot cities. However, we also uncover a negative...

RI-URBANS is reshaping air quality monitoring in Europe, with a mission to make clean city air a reality. The project complements existing air quality monitoring systems by identifying new pollutants and tracking their fluctuations using advanced tools. This will enable European health...

This paper shows how to combine microeconometric evidence on the effects of environmental policy with a macroeconomic model, accounting for general equilibrium spillovers that have mostly been ignored in the literature. To this end, we study the effects of a recent US air pollution policy. We...

Governments monitor air quality for regulatory purposes and, more recently, to provide information so individuals can act to lower their exposure to air pollution. Recent developments in low-cost technologies have also led to private adoption of air-quality monitors that produce publicly...

Does exposure to air pollution impact mental health? This paper uses administrative health insurance data to estimate the long-term cumulative effects of air pollution exposure on mental health outcomes. For identification, we exploit the staggered introduction of Low Emission Zones (LEZs)...

Air pollution generates vast health burdens and economic costs around the world. Pollution exposure varies greatly, both between countries and within them. But the degree of air quality inequality and its' trajectory have not been quantified at a global level. I use economic inequality indices...

In pursuit of innovation-driven green development, effectively leveraging innovation policies for environmental betterment has emerged as a pivotal challenge in China's sustainable development trajectory. Investigating 287 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2020, this study adopts the pilot initiative...