Urban Forests: Environmental Health Values and Risks

Jianwei Xing, Zhiren Hu, Fan Xia, Jintao Xu and Eric Zou

No 31554, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We study a massive urban afforestation policy in Beijing that planted 1/3 of a million acres of greenery in less than a decade. The policy reduces PM₂.₅ concentration at population hubs by 4.2 percent, the health value of which amounts to 1.5% of the city’s annual GDP. Rapid vegetation growth unexpectedly led to a 7.4 percent increase in pollen exposure, triggering respiratory emergency room visits, although the medical costs are outweighed by the pollution benefits. Urban forests are only partially capitalized in housing values, with buyers mainly appreciating proximity to green spaces but not the air quality improvements they bring.

JEL-codes: I18 Q23 Q53 Q56 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-env and nep-ure
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