Josh Graff Zivin's Research Explores Ground-Level Ozone's Impact On Worker Productivity
Why environmental red tape may be good for business
06/01/2011
Naomi Powell,
The Globe and Mail, Economy Lab
Environmental regulation is often cast as a burden on business. Clean air standards smother firms in red tape and stifle economies already facing tough times, opponents say.
But what if environmental protection actually boosted economic performance? A new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that reducing ground-level ozone (a main component of smog) significantly improved worker productivity.
“It’s not just a burden on the firm and on consumers,” said Matthew Neidell, an economist at Columbia University who co-authored the report with Joshua Graff Zivin of the University of California. “There could actually be some benefits as well. There certainly could be health benefits but workers could also be more productive if pollution levels are lower.”
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Josh Graff Zivin is Associate Professor of International Relations and Pacific Studies and Affiliated Faculty of Economics. He is also a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and Research Director for International Environmental and Health Studies at the Institute for Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC).
