The Nitrogen Legacy : The Long-Term Effects of Water Pollution on Human Capital
The fallout of nitrogen pollution is considered one of the largest global externalities facing the world, impacting air, water, soil, and human health. This paper combines data from the Demographic and Health Survey data set across India, Vietnam,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/427991581022015021/The-Nitrogen-Legacy-The-Long-Term-Effects-of-Water-Pollution-on-Human-Capital http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33319 |
| Summary: | The fallout of nitrogen pollution is
considered one of the largest global externalities facing
the world, impacting air, water, soil, and human health.
This paper combines data from the Demographic and Health
Survey data set across India, Vietnam, and 33 African
countries to analyze the causal links between pollution
exposure experienced during the very earliest stages of life
and later-life health. The results show that pollution
exposure experienced in the critical years of
development—from birth until age three—is associated with
decreased height as an adult, a well-known indicator of
overall health and productivity, and is robust to several
statistical checks. Because adult height is related to
education, labor productivity, and income, this also implies
a loss of earning potential. The analysis begins within an
assessment in India, where the data are more available, and
is then extended to geographic settings including Vietnam
and 33 countries in Africa. The results are consistent and
show that early-life exposure to nitrogen pollution in water
can lower height-for-age scores during childhood in Vietnam
and during infancy in Africa. These findings add to the
evidence on the enduring consequences of water pollution and
identify a critical area for policy intervention. |
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