Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (Aug 2021)
Evolution of Romania’s Economic Structure and Environment Degradation – An Assessment Through LMDI Decomposition Approach
Abstract
Jean Vasile Andrei, Sorin Avram, Irina Băncescu, Ioan I Gâf Deac, Carmen Gheorghe National Institute for Economic Research “Costin C. Kirițescu”, Bucharest, RomaniaCorrespondence: Jean Vasile Andrei; Irina BăncescuNational Institute for Economic Research “Costin C. Kirițescu”, Calea 13 Septembrie, No. 13, Bucharest, 050711, RomaniaTel +40-7276 15540; +40-7468 74791Email [email protected]; [email protected]: This paper studies the relationships between air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, N2O) and different diseases (tumors, skin and respiratory) and the factors influencing air pollutant emissions in Romania.Methods: The methods are Toda-Yamamoto procedure of non-causality Granger test, grey relational analysis and logarithmic mean Divisia index method (LMDI).Results: Air pollutants intensities dropped significantly over 2008– 2017 period due to structural changes. The only economic activity that showed an increase both in volume and intensity of air pollutants, despite a downward trend of farming activities output is agriculture. Technology improvements play a significant role in mitigation of PM2.5 emissions and a moderate role in mitigation of PM10 emissions. For N2O emissions technology used contributed to an increase of N2O intensities.Conclusion: Health policy makers should address the issue of technology improvements and mitigation of agriculture emissions to improve health of individuals and air quality.Keywords: pollution, habitat depreciation, respiratory diseases, technology improvement