1. Chapter 10: Urban Air Pollution
Beyond Economic Growth: An Introduction to Sustainable Development
By Tatyana P. Soubbotina

2. Overview of Chapter 10: Urban Air Pollution
Urbanization
People are rapidly moving to cities
Particulate air pollution
Smoke, soot, and dust from fuel combustion
Airborne lead pollution
Lead poisoning is very dangerous
Inverted U-shaped relationship between income and pollution

3. Urbanization: Growth of cities in population and importance
Urbanization follows from industrialization and post-industrialization as jobs and people move to cities
Indicators: share of population and GDP
Urban populations are increasing most rapidly in low-income countries (Fig. 10.1)
High-income countries have the largest percentage of people living in cities (Fig 10.2)
Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa have the smallest percentage of people living in cities (Fig 10.2)
Indicators of urbanization: share of urban population, share of GDP from service & industry

4. Particulate air pollution
Suspended particulate matter is smoke, soot, dust, and small particles from (fossil) fuel combustion
Particulates cause respiratory diseases (bronchitis, asthma) and heart disease
Particulates result from inefficient combustion of wood, coal, or oil (heat, electricity, cars, etc.)
Natural gas is cleaner than coal or oil
Renewable fuels (hydro, solar, geothermal, wind) are cleanest
Nuclear doesn’t cause particulates, but has other problems
Poorly maintained cars in developing countries are a big source of particulates

5. Airborne lead pollution
Lead poisoning causes brain damage, behavioral problems, heart disease, etc.
Airborne lead comes from leaded gasoline, industrial processes, and coal combustion
Leaded gasoline phased-out in US by mid 1990’s. Currently being phased-out in entire world.
As countries become richer, they moved to control lead pollution and other pollutants as well
Inverted U-shaped relationship between pollution and income