THE ECONOMICS OF AIR POLLUTION AND ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC APPROACHES TO HEALTH

Although there has been reasonable progress in the epidemiology of air pollution, significant changes in international air pollution guidelines, and the emergence of more systematic approaches to air pollution control, there has been little attempt to explain the origin of the air pollution problem in the first place. How did we come to this point? It is a fact that Neoclassical Environmental Economic view, even if it is not the sole cause, is still a major influence for the theories of natural capitalism and environmental finances. Therefore, with this increasing influence, Neoclassical Environmental Economics have been at the very centre of public policies on environmental issues for decades. The question of whether Neoclassical Environmental Economics is the best economic approach for policy decision-making is a very controversial subject, and there are few alternative approaches to Neoclassical Environmental Economics. This study provides some insight into air pollution and its impacts on health, starting from the Neoclassical Economic perspective and reviewing the main alternative approaches to reach a very balanced global environmental understanding.