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The increase in economic activity, particularly in transport, leads to a significant increase in emissions of pollutants, such as ammonia, arsenic and cadmium, at the European Union (EU) level. This can seriously impact human health and, consequently, public health spending. Based on data from 15 European Union countries from 1992 to 2020, a panel co-integration approach is used to study these pollutants' short- and long-term co-movements and per capita health expenditure. The results show a long-term relationship between ammonia, arsenic and cadmium emissions and per capita health spending, as they are panel-cointegrated. Ammonia and cadmium emissions exert a statistically significant positive effect on health expenditure in the short run, and arsenic emissions have a statistically significant positive impact in the long run. The forecast assessment of reductions in health spending resulting from policies to reduce emissions of air, land and water pollutants, such as ammonia, arsenic and cadmium, from the transport sector supports investments in its policies that reduce pressure on health spending. The reduction in annual healthcare expenditure is greater when these reductions are made sooner and more severely. Indeed, varying the reduction in emissions for each pollutant by 10% and 100%, respectively, from the first year for all countries over a 3-year period results in an average annual reduction in health spending of 2.05% and 51.02%, respectively. However, if we wait until the third year, the annual reduction is only 0.77% and 17.63% respectively. • We examine the impact of emissions of pollutants, such as ammonia, arsenic and cadmium, on public health expenditure. • We use a panel cointegration approach based on data from 15 European Union countries from 1992 to 2020 to investigate short- and long-run co-movements. • We show that ammonia and cadmium emissions exert a statistically significant positive effect on health expenditure in the short run, and arsenic emissions have a statistically significant positive impact in the long run. • We evaluate the magnitude of the financial health costs of ammonia, arsenic, and cadmium emissions. • Stricter policies should be implemented to reduce pollutant emissions as soon as possible to decrease health expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite the various measures taken to reduce air pollution in France, the French continue to use high-emission vehicles. We propose to evaluate the Willingness To Pay (WTP) for four means of transport: two high-emission vehicles (diesel taxi and diesel personal vehicle) and two low-emission vehicles (rented electric vehicle and public transport). Successive messages revealing the effects of air pollution on health and the environment are provided to individuals in a different order. The information conveyed changes both of the WTP of individuals and of their choices. However, the use of high-emission vehicles has not diminished, personal vehicles remain the most popular. Using data collected from our survey, a multinomial logit model is used to determine individual choices. We find that improving individuals' confidence in air pollution recommendations would be a good way to lead them to choose low-emission rather than high-emission means of transport. Moreover, these estimates also indicate that individuals who attach great importance to comfort are less likely to choose low-emission vehicles than those who value price above other factors. Individual interest can therefore prevail over collective interest, thus verifying the theory of the tragedy of the commons. Different policies (taxes, subsidies, or standard) to encourage people to adopt low-emission vehicles are then tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their efforts to affect regulations, firms have developed specific strategies to exploit scientific uncertainty. They have manufactured doubt by hiring and funding dissenting scientists, by producing and publicizing favorable scientific findings and by generally concealing their involvement in biased research. We propose a new model to study the interplay between scientific uncertainty, firms' miscommunication and public policies. The government is benevolent but populist, and maximizes social welfare as perceived by citizens. The industry can produce costly reports showing that its activity is not harmful. Citizens are unaware of the industry's miscommunication. We first characterize the industry's optimal miscommunication policy. The industry notably ceases miscommunicating abruptly when scientists' belief reaches a critical threshold. We identify a natural condition under which miscommunication is stronger under a tax on emissions than under command and control. We then analyze research funding. A populist government may support research to enable firms to falsely reassure citizens. Establishing an independent research agency helps limit the welfare losses induced by populist policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although plastic induces environmental damages, almost all water bottles are made from plastic and the consumption never stops increasing. This study evaluates the consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for different plastics used for water packaging. Successive messages emphasizing the characteristics of plastic are delivered to consumers allowing explaining the influence of information on the consumers’ WTP. We find that information has a manifest effect on the WTP. We show there is a significant premium associated with recycled plastic packaging and biodegradable bioplastic packaging. As there is no consensus on the plastic which is the most or the least dangerous for the environment, we propose different policies for protecting the environment. We discuss about the impact of these policies on consumer’s purchasing decisions: switching one plastic packaging for another, or leaving water plastic bottles market. We present the environmental policies that are effective according to the point of view adopted. Choosing between these policies then depends on the priorities of the regulator and pressure of lobbies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with sustainability issues, we are currently seeing a transition towards a lower consumption of animal protein. How ongoing gradual rearrangements in protein patterns impact sustainability and climatic change remains unknown. We used data from a French representative survey and selected for each individual the dual substitution of a serving of a protein food that most improved nutritional adequacy (using the probabilistic PANDiet score), with an increase in the percentage of plant protein required (SP) or not (SN). This was iterated 20 times incrementally, and we monitored the evolution of sustainability endpoints, including greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and predicted premature deaths avoided. After 20 iterations, the plant protein intake (31.1% total protein) decreased under SN (30.0%) and increased under SP (37.7%). The food groups whose contribution to protein intake increased the most were legumes (+ 225%), fatty fish (+ 151%), and lean chicken (+ 82%) under SN and legumes (+ 502%), pizzas and quiches (+ 190%), and fatty fish (+ 102%) under SP. The PANDiet score rose slightly more under SN (+ 7.5 ± 0.1) than SP (+ 6.2 ± 0.1). GHGE levels increased from 5.4 ± 0.05 to 5.7 ± 0.04 kg eq.CO2/day under SN and decreased to 5.1 ± 0.04 under SP. Diet costs increased from 7.4 ± 0.06 to 8.2 ± 0.05 €/day under SN and 7.6 ± 0.05 under SP. Predicted avoided premature deaths annually in France were 2200 (1700; 2700) under SP and 1700 (1400; 2000) under SN. In those series of small realistic changes in the individual diets, systematically increasing the plant share slightly limits the gain in nutritional adequacy but result in diets that are far more sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]