An Econometric Analysis of Atmospheric Pollution, Environmental Disparities and Mortality Rates

This paper presents the first study of environmental inequality related to health in France on the national scale. Through econometric analysis based on panel data from 2000 to 2004, at the level of France’s departments (administrative areas similar in size to counties in the United Kingdom or the United States.), I investigate the total mortality rate in relation to socioeconomic status and air pollution. The concentration level of <InlineEquation ID="IEq1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$$\hbox {NO}_{2}, \hbox {O}_{3}$$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"> <math xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <mrow> <msub> <mtext>NO</mtext> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>,</mo> <msub> <mtext>O</mtext> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </math> </EquationSource> </InlineEquation> and <InlineEquation ID="IEq2"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$$\hbox {PM}_{10}$$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"> <math xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <msub> <mtext>PM</mtext> <mn>10</mn> </msub> </math> </EquationSource> </InlineEquation> are estimated by spatial interpolation from local observations made by a network of monitoring stations. I found a positive and significant relationship between <InlineEquation ID="IEq3"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$$\hbox {NO}_{2}$$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"> <math xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <msub> <mtext>NO</mtext> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </math> </EquationSource> </InlineEquation> levels and the mortality rate, at mean levels below the current standard, with a greater relative risk for women. Moreover I observed disparities in health related to income among French departments. These results not only confirm the existence of a relationship between current air pollution levels and mortality but also raise questions about environmental policy implications in France. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015