Studying the economic burden of premature mortality related to PM2.5 and O3 exposure in Greece between 2004 and 2019

The detrimental direct effects of air pollution on public health have been well-determined; however, of relevant importance are also the indirect effects on the economy. Based on the value of statistical life (VSLs) and the willingness to pay (WTP) method, we estimated the economic cost resulting from premature mortality associated with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone (O3) exposure across Greece during 2004-2019, under a constant and a changing income elasticity scenario. The spatiotemporal trends of the economic burden were also investigated. The total economic burden attributable to premature mortality due to exposure to PM2.5 and O3 for the 16-year period was estimated at euro 66.34 billion under the constant scenario and at euro 273.65 billion under the changing scenario. A dramatic decline of the mortality cost was observed from 2009 to 2019 in the changing scenario, reflecting various socio-economic factors and income losses, as opposed to a less profound downward trend under the constant scenario, where the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) variances were not taken into account. During the study period, PM2.5 contributed the most to the economic loss, while the contribution of O3 was much less. The spatiotemporal patterns observed here may prove an effective means of communicating these trends to policy-makers and may feed the design of strategies for protecting public health and safeguarding the economic growth.