Air Pollution in Emerging Economies and Its Implications

Abstract

The smog that swept across Beijing and the central and eastern parts of China in January 2013 caused respiratory problems in many people and led some factories to temporarily shut their operations down. It provided a paradigmatic case where air pollution can create serious economic and social repercussions. Air pollution is emerging as a significant environmental issue not only in China, but also in other developing countries. New Delhi wit-nessed the worst smog on record in its air pollution meters to date in November 2012, which revealed the serious nature of environmental problems that have been eclipsed by the growth-centered economic policy so far. The air pollution problem that related with economic and environmental perspectives is a borderless issue that affects multiple countries and regions at once. In this report, we examine the current status and ripple effects of air pollution in developing countries to draw out implications.

Keywords: air pollution, smog