Benefit Transfer and the Economic Value of Air Quality Revisited

Abstract

Developing countries still lack valuation studies for several environmental goods. In thispaper we present the results of an international benefit transfer exercise applied to airquality, considering the perspective of developing countries. Our aim is to show the importanceto employ transferred values in cost-benefit analysis for the particular case ofair pollution in urban areas of developing countries. Following the recommendationsfound in the literature, a protocol was created for the value transfer process. The resultsshow a high discrepancy between actual and transferred values. Besides, other findingsquestion the use of the benefit transfer technique for developing countries.