THE IMPACT OF SMOG/AIR QUALITY ON ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, HEALTH CONDITIONS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Public health; economic size, and quality of environment is significantly changing due to spread of Smog in Pakistan. This is becoming a critical challenge which requires immediate policy actions to overcome it. Many cases of flue and breathing congestions have been reported which reflect falling health conditions of people in Pakistan. The bad health is also affecting the workers productivity which is hurting overall production of goods and services. Due to high air quality index, quality of environment is also getting worse off. Considering this notion in mind, this research has obtained empirical results which state that smog has negative impact on economic activities; human health and quality of environment in Pakistan. In order to combat this increasing challenge, sustained policies that may control pollution, promoting usage of environmentally friendly energies, spreading awareness among the mass, increasing installation of air purifier machines at public places for all the public instead of public of selected areas, detection of air quality index meters to all places instead of selected places, and improving health infrastructure in the country. The proposed steps will help improving health and environmental quality in the country on the one side and on the other side it will help in achieving goals 3 and 13 of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).