Strong demand for clean air policies in Majority World cities

Air pollution is a leading health risk, especially in large cities of the Majority World. In these emerging markets and developing economies, it remains unclear whether residents will demand mitigation, perceive it as a threat or view poor air quality as a necessary part of development. Competing theories predict either strong or weak support and cross-national evidence is scarce, particularly for measures of policy support. Here we surveyed 11,417 adults in 4 severely polluted cities—Accra, Delhi, Jakarta and Johannesburg. Air quality was a highly prioritized issue and overall levels of concern are very high. Majorities support six mitigation proposals, including cost-salient measures such as stricter industrial limits, increasing household electrification and expanding public transport. Concern, trust and low perceived behavioral control were the strongest correlates of support. People see air pollution, feel its effects and want governments to act, even when action entails economic costs, challenging views of limited environmental demand in highly exposed, economically developing settings.

E. Keith Smith, Ella Henninger, Camille Fournier de Lauriere, Vally Koubi, Raeesa Moolla, Liam F. Beiser-McGrath, Thomas Bernauer