INEQ Research Seminar with Aline Bütikofer

Location: Vor Ort , Departments 3 D3.0.222 on 19 May 2025 Starting at 15:00 Ending at 16:30
Type Seminar / workshop
LanguageEnglisch
Speaker Aline Bütikofer
Organizer Research institute Research Institute Economics of Inequality (INEQ)
Contact ineq@wu.ac.at

Join us for the next INEQ Research Seminar at WU Vienna, where Aline Bütikofer will present research on how early childhood pollution impacts academic outcomes.

INEQ organises a research seminar series, which centers on empirical research on the causes and consequences of (socio-)economic inequalities and their measurement, from both micro- and macro perspectives. As INEQ is a multidisciplinary institute, we welcome contributions across social science disciplines.

On May 19, Aline Bütikofer (NHH) will present at the Economics of Inequality Research Seminar. She will discuss the paper "Moving to Cleaner Skyes - At What Age Does Childhood Exposure to Pollution Matter for Health And Human Capital?"

Abstract
This paper examines the long-term impacts of early childhood pollution exposure by exploiting the sharp decrease in acid rain in Norway after the enactment of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution. We combine a difference-in-differences and a movers' design to analyze the outcomes between cohorts born in municipalities before and after a significant decrease in pollution exposure relative to those same cohorts born in municipalities with little initial exposure. Our findings indicate that higher pollution levels are linked to lower academic performance, with children being most vulnerable to pollution exposure during early childhood.



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