tailieunhanh - Air Pollution Convergence and Economic Growth across European Countries

Transportation involves the combustion of fossil fuels to produce energy translated into motion. Pollution is created from incomplete carbon reactions, unburned hydrocarbons or other elements present in the fuel or air during combustion. These processes produce pollutants of various species, including carbon monoxide, soot, various gaseous and liquid vapour hydro carbons, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, sulphate and nitrate particulates, ash and lead. These primary pollutants can, in turn, react in the atmosphere to form ozone, secondary particulates, and other damaging secondary pollutants. Combustion also produces carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas. The share. | Air Pollution Convergence and Economic Growth across European Countries Francisco Alvarez Gustavo A. Marrero and Luis A. Puch July 2004 Abstract This paper analyses the role of macroeconomic performance in shaping the evolution of air pollutants in a panel of European countries from 1990 to 2000. The analysis is addressed in connection with EU environmental regulation and taking into account macroeconomic performance. We start by documenting the patterns of crosscountry differences among different pollutants. We then interpret these differences within a neoclassical growth model with pollution. Three main pieces of evidence are presented. First we analyze the existence of convergence of pollution levels within European economies. Second we rank countries according to its performance in terms of emissions and growth. Third we evaluate the evolution of emissions in terms of the targets signed for 2010. Key words Economic Growth Air Pollution Convergence JEL O40 Q20 O52 Universidad Complutense de Madrid and ICAE. We thank participants at the 2nd Economic Dynamics and the Environment Workshop. This research has benefited from the financial support of the Fundacion Ramón Areces. Correspondence to Luis A. Puch Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa Universidad Complutense de Madrid E-28223 Somosaguas-Madrid- e-mail lpuch@ 1 1 Introduction The control of the air pollution levels has been one of the most challenging issues in the environmental policy of developed countries over decades. The strong transboundary character of most of air pollutants and its already well studied harmful effects have raised the need of coordination at supra-national levels. The purpose of this article is to report facts on the evolution of air pollutants in European countries member states of the European Union EU . Such a description is addressed in connection with EU environmental regulation and taking into account macroeconomic performance. The existing empirical literature on .