41. Reducing Urban and Industrial Pollution in Chile
- Author:
- Joseph M. Lieberson, Mark G. Hodges, and Gene M. Owens
- Publication Date:
- 12-2000
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United States Agency for International Development
- Abstract:
- In Chile's capital of Santiago, the summer sun rises over a hazy, smog-filled sky. The sky darkens as the day progresses and often turns a light brown. In winter, air quality is even worse, and visibility drops sharply. A ring of mountains and thermal inversions trap pollution in a choking cloud over the city. But the mountains and air currents are not the whole problem. Twenty years ago the air was relatively clean. That was before economic growth accelerated sharply. A rapid increase in industrial production and a major increase in truck, bus, and automobile traffic are all pumping pollutants into the air. The result is a high level of respiratory problems, sickness, and premature death.
- Topic:
- Economics, Environment, Human Welfare, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- South America, Latin America, and Chile