College

College of Business Administration

Date of Last Revision

2024-06-04 06:51:19

Major

Economics

Honors Course

ECON 497-001

Number of Credits

3

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Date of Expected Graduation

Spring 2024

Abstract

Air Quality significantly impacts public health, particularly for individuals with respiratory issues. Cap-and-trade (CAT) programs aim to mitigate emissions, focusing on greenhouse gases to improve air quality. This paper evaluated the long-run effectiveness of CAT programs, comparing multi-sector and single-sector initiatives, and their impact on air quality across counties with varying economic statuses. Using a difference-in-difference approach, comprehensive data spanning recent years up to 2023 is analyzed. The dataset includes air quality measures, population, personal income, average temperature, precipitation, and vehicle registrations enabling a thorough examination of the programs’ effects. Results reveal a complex relationship. Both programs’ initiatives create a decrease in good air quality days for poor counties. The multi-sector programs demonstrate a more significant reduction in negative air quality days, such as moderate and very unhealthy, particularly benefiting poor counties. Conversely, poor counties with single-sector programs experience an increase in negative air quality. The results from this work conclude that multi-sector programs are more beneficial for poor counties, yet all program types need to make changes for maximum impact.

Research Sponsor

Sucharita Ghosh

First Reader

Dr. Nicholas Glenn

Second Reader

Dr. Ai Enami

Honors Faculty Advisor

Dr. Ali Enami

Proprietary and/or Confidential Information

No

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