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The Persistent Effects of Early-Life Exposure to Air Pollution: Evidence from the Indonesian Forest Fires

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  • Maria Rosales-Rueda
  • Margaret Triyana

Abstract

We analyze the effects of early-life exposure to air pollution in a developing country on children’s long-term human capital outcomes. We exploit the geographical variation of the 1997 Indonesian forest fires and cohort variation in exposure as a natural experiment. Children exposed to the fires are shorter on average three years post-exposure and have lower lung capacity 10 years post-exposure, but only children who were exposed in-utero continue to exhibit shorter stature at 10 and 17 years post-exposure. We find suggestive evidence that these persistent effects may be due to expectant mothers experiencing poorer respiratory health during the fires.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Rosales-Rueda & Margaret Triyana, 2019. "The Persistent Effects of Early-Life Exposure to Air Pollution: Evidence from the Indonesian Forest Fires," Working Papers Rutgers University, Newark 2019-002, Department of Economics, Rutgers University, Newark.
    • Handle: RePEc:run:wpaper:2019-002
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    File URL: https://sasn.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/inline-files/Indo_fires-JHR_Preprint_Feb2018.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Paudel, Jayash, 2023. "Do environmental disasters affect human capital? The threat of forest fires," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Mehic, Adrian, 2023. "The electoral consequences of environmental accidents: Evidence from Chernobyl," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    3. Mullan, Katrina & Avery, Teigan & Boise, Patrick & Leary, Cindy S. & Rice, William L. & Semmens, Erin O., 2024. "Impacts of wildfire-season air quality on park and playground visitation in the Northwest United States," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    4. Chen, Yulong, 2024. "Early exposure to air pollution and cognitive development later in life: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    5. Derek Sheehan & Katrina Mullan & Thales A. P. West & Erin O. Semmens, 2024. "Protecting Life and Lung: Protected Areas Affect Fine Particulate Matter and Respiratory Hospitalizations in the Brazilian Amazon Biome," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(1), pages 45-87, January.
    6. Sandra Aguilar-Gomez & Nathaly M. Rivera, 2024. "Air Pollution in the Global South: An Overview of Its Sources and Impacts," Working Papers wp561, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    7. Guimbeau, Amanda & Ji, Xinde James & Long, Zi & Menon, Nidhiya, 2024. "Ocean salinity, early-life health, and adaptation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    8. Arrizaga, Rubí & Clarke, Damian & Cubillos, Pedro P. & Ruiz-Tagle V., Cristóbal, 2023. "Wildfires and Human Health: Evidence from 15 Wildfire Seasons in Chile," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12954, Inter-American Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    natural disasters; air pollution; long-term effects; fetal origins; Indonesia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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