The impact of renewable energy policies on deaths from outdoor and indoor air pollution: Empirical evidence from Latin American and Caribbean countries

Abstract

This investigation analysed the effect of renewable energy policies (e.g., economic instruments-fiscal/financial incentives policies, such as feed-in tariffs/premiums, grants and subsidies, loans, tax relief, taxes, and user charges) on deaths caused by outdoor and indoor air pollution in fifteen countries from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region from 1990 to 2017. The results from the panel quantile model regression showed that in the 0.10, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 0.90 quantiles, the variables carbon dioxide emissions, electricity consumption from new renewable energy sources, economic instruments-fiscal/financial incentives policies to enable renewable energy deployment and use, economic growth, and social globalisation reduces the air pollution deaths. In contrast, the variables electricity consumption from non-renewable energy sources, urbanisation, and economic globalisation encourages the increase of these deaths caused by outdoor and indoor air pollution in the LAC region.