02. October 2025

Clean air is bad for the economy (?) Clean air is bad for the economy (?)

Julia Mink on the University of Bonn's Hypothesis podcast

In political debates, it is often argued that measures to combat air pollution could jeopardize jobs, slow down investment, or put pressure on entire industries. “Clean air is bad for the economy”: Prof. Dr. Julia Mink addresses this provocative hypothesis in the first episode after the summer break of the University of Bonn's Hypothesis podcast with host Denis Nasser.

Prof. Dr. Julia Mink
Prof. Dr. Julia Mink © Denis Nasser/Universität Bonn
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When forests burn and trash floats in the sea, everyone sees it immediately. Air pollution is not ignored either, but it starts with tiny particles that no one notices at first. Often, it takes time for pollution and health damage to become apparent, with enormous follow-up costs. There is no shortage of good intentions and limits in the fight against air pollution, yet the fight is still not effective. Is dirty air cheaper for production and clean air bad for the economy? Would radical cost increases be a solution? Julia Mink takes a close look at this hypothesis.

To the podcast episode (in German)  

Prof. Dr. Julia Mink
Institute for Applied Microeconomics
Mail: Julia.mink@uni-bonn.de
Phone: +49 (0)228 73-9206

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