The Role of Energy Policies for Air Pollution Control in the Po Valley

Abstract

This paper examines the use of integrated assessment modelling to select policies aimed at reducing air pollution in response to growing concerns about the deterioration of air quality, especially in highly populated and industrialized areas. The study focuses on the Po Valley region in northern Italy, renowned for its intricate environmental difficulties arising from industrial operations, extensive farming, and topographic characteristics. The goal of the multi-objective decision problem is to find the best plans for reducing emissions that will minimize the average annual concentrations of PM2.5 while also considering the costs of putting these plans into action and incorporating end-of-pipe, energy, and fuel switch measures. Results highlight the trade-offs between air quality improvement and associated costs, presenting a Pareto curve of optimal solutions.