ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, URBAN AIR POLLUTION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL KUZNETS CURVE IN ASIA

ABSTRACT

This paper summarises an investigation into the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) relationship for economic development and urban air pollution in Asia. Traditionally the rise and fall of air pollution in countries can be explained through the EKC theory. As economic development progresses, local environmental quality improves as the public demands cleaner air, the required resources become available and control measures are implemented. Air quality and Gross National Income (GNI) per capita data were collected to create simple EKC graphs for Asian cities and the air pollutants of SO2, NO2, CO, PM-10 and TSP. The graphs suggest that the shape of the EKC may not be an inverted U-curve, but rather an "L-shape" for selected air pollutants in Asian cities. This may indicate an important change to the traditional EKC relationship. This paper explores a broad selection of modern, emerging factors that are potentially influencing the EKC relationship in Asian cities and prompting governments to implement early air pollution control methods. Alternatively, the "L-shape" could be indicative of the traditional EKC inverted U curve, with the original "pre-pollution" stage no longer applicable in most Asian countries. Further policy and economic orientated analyses could clarify the role of urban air pollution EKCs for Asian countries in a modern context.

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