Economic Valuation of the Public Health Impacts of Wetland Degradation: The Case of Lake Cuitzeo (Mexico)

Rafael Trueba-Regalado, José A. Albaladejo-García (), Arturo Chacón-Torres, Carlos F. Ortiz-Paniagua and José M. Martínez-Paz
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Rafael Trueba-Regalado: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia 58030, Mexico
José A. Albaladejo-García: Departamento de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Arturo Chacón-Torres: Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia 58330, Mexico
Carlos F. Ortiz-Paniagua: Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia 58040, Mexico
José M. Martínez-Paz: Departamento de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: In recent decades there has been a deterioration of wetlands with severe implications for human health, particularly through its effects on food, water, and climate security. Thus, there is an increasing interest in addressing the adverse effects of wetland degradation, particularly in relation to public health. Despite the necessity to comprehend the economic value associated with wetland degradation, there is still a paucity of research on the subject in many areas of the world, such as Latin American countries. The objective of this work is to determine the economic impacts of wetland degradation through its health impacts on local communities to achieve sustainable wetland management. To this end, a contingent valuation method has been applied selecting Lake Cuitzeo (Mexico) as an emblematic case study where there is a process of ecological degradation that has a negative impact on both the well-being and health of the population. Based on contingent valuation surveys of the population, respondents were directly asked to express their willingness to accept (WTA) by considering changes in well-being resulting from the loss of a benefit or their willingness to pay (WTP) for the improvement of goods/services. The findings indicated a willingness to accept economic compensation of 47.86 USD/household/month for health-related damages and a willingness to pay 2.77 USD/household/month for the environmental management measures to improve lake conditions. In addition, a multivariate analysis was carried out to determine the influence of socio-economic and environmental factors on the economic valuation exercise. The results can serve as a guide for policymakers in the implementation of socially accepted measures to solve the environmental and public health problems in degraded water bodies.

Keywords: contingent valuation; nature recovery; sustainable wetland management; well-being; willingness to accept; willingness to pay (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:9:p:1908-:d:1752534

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