Willingness to pay and air pollution: the results of Gioconda Life project

Abstract INTRODUCTION US and in Europe have emphasized the importance of protecting children's health and including benefits to children in the cost-benefit analysis of environmental interventions. Within the Gioconda Project boys aged 12 to 17 years were involved to assess their willingness to pay WTP by asking how much they are willing to pay in order to reduce the risk related to the environment. METHODS About 600 children were recruited from 4 Italian areas (Naples, Ravenna, Taranto and San Miniato) with different types ofenvironmental hazards. Students were asked to fill in a questionnaire concerning risk perception and WTP. The results of the WTP questionnaires were compared with the data from the environmental monitoring. Logistic regression was performed to investigate whether children's characteristics influence the probability of scope sensitivity. ATobit regression was used to analyze WTP estimates. The thirdmodel includes as covariates also PM10 annual mean in the area as well as a measure of fear in the health consequences of air pollution. RESULTS The higherthe mean PM10 the lower the probability that young individuals will be, in principle, willing to sacrifice part of their budget to pay for theenvironmental policy reducing the risk of asthma. Children were willing to pay less for health risk reduction as they become older. For both high and low health risk reduction the lower the trust in the causal link betweenenvironment and health the lower the (WTP) estimates. Tobit regression suggested no differences between area in meanwillingness to pay for asthma health risk reduction. The mean WTP for high risk reduction is EUR63 while for low risk reduction the mean WTP is EUR52. Conclusions According toour findings air pollution reduces the probability that the young individuals are willing to pay for an environmental intervention reducing air pollution. WTP estimates seem affected by the degree of trust in a causal relationship between air pollution and health.