Pandemics, Mitigation Measures, and Environment

Kangoh Lee ()
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Kangoh Lee: San Diego State University

Environmental & Resource Economics, 2021, vol. 78, issue 2, No 6, 353-374

Abstract: Abstract The paper studies the effects of mitigation measures on environment during a pandemic. Various mitigation measures such as business closures have been imposed to reduce health risks. Such measures also limit economic activities and reduce emissions. Measures disproportionately affect the contact-intensive sectors such as the leisure and hospitality industry, as their economic activities involve more person-to-person interactions. Thus, the extent of emission reduction depends on the severity of a measure and the size of the contact-intensive sectors. Using data on business and restaurant closures, school closures and bans on gatherings across 50 U.S. states during the Covid-19 pandemic, an empirical analysis shows that emissions decrease more in states with a more stringent measure and a larger share of the contact-intensive sectors.

Keywords: Pandemics; Mitigation measures; Contact-intensive sectors; Emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D6 H1 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10640-020-00535-9

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