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Valuing Air Quality in Poland

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Abstract

In this study we estimate how much Polish citizens would be willing to pay to harmonize Polish air pollution standards with EU standards. We conduct a contingent valuation of all damage components using a system of dichotomous choice questions. This system approach helps to avoid embedding problem and to identify protest voters. We compare estimates from a set of single logit models with a generalized estimating equations (GEE) model, which provides more parsimonious and efficient estimates. Although, health remains very important, our respondents valued mortality less than the literature but morbidity much more. Damages to ecosystems and cultural heritage compose 13–16% of the total value and their omission by the literature seriously underestimates total benefits. Overall, the results suggest that Poland values the benefits of pollution control much less than the wealthier EU suggesting harmonization should be postponed and conditioned on economic prosperity.

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  1. Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 210 Prospect Street, 06511, New Haven, CT

    Dominika Anna Parry Dziegielewska & Robert Mendelsohn

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  1. Dominika Anna Parry Dziegielewska
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  2. Robert Mendelsohn
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Correspondence to Dominika Anna Parry Dziegielewska.

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P28, Q51, Q53 standard harmonization, system valuation

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Parry Dziegielewska, D.A., Mendelsohn, R. Valuing Air Quality in Poland. Environ Resource Econ 30, 131–163 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-004-1515-2

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