PM2.5, Household Income, and Health Hazard: The Role of Economic Integration in the Process of Decarbonization in the Developing Economies

Abstract

The goal of this study is to examine the impact of household income and air pollution on the health of developing-country residents. The panel dataset of twelve developing nations used for this purpose. High levels of fine particulate matter in the air are linked to increased health problems, and lower incomes for households in the economies studied. However, effective environmental management and renewable energy resources have a significant role in controlling the harmful impact of fine particulate matter in the air. It highlights that developing economies could lower the fine particulate matter in the air by strengthening the regional environmental policies and adopting renewable resources. In emerging countries, environmentally friendly strategies and the shift from carbon base to non-carbon-based energy would minimize pollution in the atmosphere and improve the quality of life for inhabitants and other organisms. Improved quality of life and lower levels of fine particulate matter pollution are expected to increase people’s per capita income in the region. Finally, air pollution is a transboundary phenomenon; therefore, strict compliance with environmental protection policies at the regional level is a prerequisite for improved quality of the natural environment.