Centre for Development Economics
Department of Economics
Delhi School of Economics
ANNOUNCE A SEMINAR
Air Quality in Real Time: Causal Evidence on Behavioral and Institutional Responses in India
by
(IISER-Bhopal)
(Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 2:00 PM IST )
Venue: Amex Room
Abstract:-
We study the effects of a real-time air quality monitoring program in India on the responses of monitoring stations and local governments, as well as on household awareness of pollution and related averting behaviors. Our analysis exploits the precise spatial and temporal variation created by the staggered rollout of continuous monitoring stations and sensors across the country between 2006 and 2024. Using granular station-level data, we find evidence of significant improvements in reported data quality following the program’s implementation. Drawing on a range of digital media sources, along with both stated and revealed preference proxies of environmental perceptions, we show that the program substantially increased public awareness and knowledge of air pollution. We also find that households located closer to monitoring stations exhibit modest shifts in pollution-avoidance behaviors, including greater use of air coolers and air conditioners, increased adoption of face masks, and a higher likelihood of using LPG for cooking. These effects are more pronounced among households with children and elderly members. We further explore potential mechanisms underlying these modest behavioral responses, focusing on constraints such as affordability and peer adoption. Our findings underscore the role of information salience and quality in shaping first order effects of intra-household responses, helping reconcile low willingness to pay for environmental improvements with the high pollution burden in developing countries.