IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ijoeps/v18y2024i2d10.1007_s42495-024-00132-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Road traffic flow and air pollution concentrations: evidence from Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Shuhei Nishitateno

    (Kwansei Gakuin University
    Trade and Industry)

  • Paul J. Burke

    (Australian National University)

  • Toshi H. Arimura

    (Waseda University)

Abstract

Vehicular emissions are a major global health concern. The aim of this study is to examine the short-term relationship between road traffic flows and air pollution concentrations in Japan. Our approach involves matching hourly data from the 2015 Road Traffic Census to data from nearby air pollution monitoring and meteorological stations and estimating a dynamic panel model. We focus on four pollutants designated under the vehicle emission standards of Japan: nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The standard estimates indicate that short-run pollution concentration-road traffic flow elasticities are 0.04–0.05 for NOx, CO, and NMHC, and insignificant for PM2.5. Long-term effects are also estimated. We apply the estimates to a case study on the link between road traffic flows and meeting the new World Health Organization air quality guidelines.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuhei Nishitateno & Paul J. Burke & Toshi H. Arimura, 2024. "Road traffic flow and air pollution concentrations: evidence from Japan," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 357-385, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ijoeps:v:18:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s42495-024-00132-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s42495-024-00132-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s42495-024-00132-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s42495-024-00132-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nishitateno, Shuhei & Burke, Paul J., 2021. "Willingness to pay for clean air: Evidence from diesel vehicle registration restrictions in Japan," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    2. Arellano, Manuel & Bover, Olympia, 1995. "Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 29-51, July.
    3. Zhang, Tong & Burke, Paul J., 2020. "The effect of fuel prices on traffic flows: Evidence from New South Wales," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 502-522.
    4. David Roodman, 2009. "How to do xtabond2: An introduction to difference and system GMM in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 9(1), pages 86-136, March.
    5. Shuhei Nishitateno & Paul J. Burke, 2020. "Have Vehicle Registration Restrictions Improved Urban Air Quality In Japan?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 38(3), pages 448-459, July.
    6. Shanjun Li & Lang Tong & Jianwei Xing & Yiyi Zhou, 2017. "The Market for Electric Vehicles: Indirect Network Effects and Policy Design," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(1), pages 89-133.
    7. Lin, C.-Y. Cynthia & Prince, Lea, 2013. "Gasoline price volatility and the elasticity of demand for gasoline," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 111-117.
    8. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    9. Suzanna De Boef & Luke Keele, 2008. "Taking Time Seriously," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(1), pages 184-200, January.
    10. Coria, Jessica & Bonilla, Jorge & Grundström, Maria & Pleijel, Håkan, 2015. "Air pollution dynamics and the need for temporally differentiated road pricing," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 178-195.
    11. Shuhei Nishitateno & Paul J. Burke, 2024. "Effects of Low Emission Zones on Air Quality, New Vehicle Registrations, and Birthweights: Evidence from Japan," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(7), pages 1955-1992, July.
    12. Yushi Kunugi & Toshi H Arimura & Kazuyuki Iwata & Eiji Komatsu & Yoshie Hirayama, 2018. "Cost-efficient strategy for reducing PM 2.5 levels in the Tokyo metropolitan area: An integrated approach with air quality and economic models," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mundaca, Gabriela, 2017. "How much can CO2 emissions be reduced if fossil fuel subsidies are removed?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 91-104.
    2. Ghoddusi, Hamed & Morovati, Mohammad & Rafizadeh, Nima, 2019. "Foreign Exchange Shocks and Gasoline Consumption," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Bodea, Cristina & Houle, Christian & Kim, Hyunwoo, 2021. "Do financial crises increase income inequality?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    4. Bakhat, Mohcine & Labandeira, Xavier & Labeaga, José M. & López-Otero, Xiral, 2017. "Elasticities of transport fuels at times of economic crisis: An empirical analysis for Spain," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(S1), pages 66-80.
    5. Daniel Ştefan Armeanu & Georgeta Vintilă & Ştefan Cristian Gherghina, 2017. "Empirical Study towards the Drivers of Sustainable Economic Growth in EU-28 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-22, December.
    6. Cho, Seo-young & Vadlamannati, Krishna Chaitanya, 2010. "Compliance for big brothers: An empirical analysis on the impact of the anti-trafficking protocol," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 118, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    7. Hakkala, Katariina & Heyman, Fredrik & Sjöholm, Fredrik, 2007. "Cross-Border Acquisitions, Multinationals and Wage Elasticities," Working Paper Series 709, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    8. Efobi, Uchenna & Asongu, Simplice & Okafor, Chinelo & Tchamyou, Vanessa & Tanankem, Belmondo, 2016. "Diaspora Remittance Inflow, Financial Development and the Industrialisation of Africa," MPRA Paper 76121, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Emrah Kocak & Hayriye Hilal Baglitas, 2022. "The path to sustainable municipal solid waste management: Do human development, energy efficiency, and income inequality matter?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1947-1962, December.
    10. Simplice A. Asongu & Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo‐Obasi, 2020. "Drivers and Persistence of Death in Conflicts: Global Evidence," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 183(4), pages 389-429, December.
    11. Huy Quang Doan, 2019. "Trade, Institutional Quality and Income: Empirical Evidence for Sub-Saharan Africa," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-23, May.
    12. Simona Galletta & Sebastiano Mazzù & Valeria Naciti & Carlo Vermiglio, 2021. "Sustainable development and financial institutions: Do banks' environmental policies influence customer deposits?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 643-656, January.
    13. Briglauer, Wolfgang & Dürr, Niklas S. & Gugler, Klaus, 2019. "A retrospective study on the regional benefits and spillover effects of high-speed broadband networks: Evidence from German counties," ZEW Discussion Papers 19-026, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Governance, capital flight and industrialisation in Africa," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-22, December.
    15. Fabbri, Francesca & Marin, Dalia, 2012. "What explains the rise in CEO pay in Germany? A Panel Data Analysis for 1977-2009," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 374, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    16. Samuel Fosu, 2013. "Banking Competition in Africa: Sub-regional Comparative Studies," Discussion Papers in Economics 13/12, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester, revised Jun 2013.
    17. Imam, M. & Jamasb, T. & Llorca, M. & Llorca, M., 2018. "Power Sector Reform and Corruption: Evidence from Electricity Industry in Sub-Saharan Africa," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1801, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    18. Carlos Carreira & Luís Lopes, 2016. "Collecting new pieces to the regional knowledge spillovers puzzle: high-tech versus low-tech industries," GEMF Working Papers 2016-06, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    19. Mollah, Sabur & Zaman, Mahbub, 2015. "Shari’ah supervision, corporate governance and performance: Conventional vs. Islamic banks," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 418-435.
    20. Kampelmann, Stephan & Rycx, François, 2012. "The impact of educational mismatch on firm productivity: Evidence from linked panel data," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 918-931.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ijoeps:v:18:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s42495-024-00132-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.