Household heterogeneity in adaptation to particulate matter pollution

Abstract

Individual adaptation is an important method of avoiding the consequences of environmental impact unless it can be completely avoided. In response to sporadic and acute air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), individuals adopt prompt and convenient adaptation option that often involves intensive use of energy. This miss-led adaptation

so-called maladaptation, may amplify the environmental impact, requiring even greater adaptation. So far, this energy-intensive adaptation has received little consideration by policy makers although it has to be considered as important as the society’s mitigative capacity.

This paper exploits hourly household electricity consumption data collected by smart electricity meters to examine Korean households’ adaptation behavior to the impact of PM pollution. Furthermore, by taking advantage of the hourly variation in energy usage, adaptation is analyzed for different types of households’ characteristics. My results support strong positive association between the average PM concentrations from time-hour t to t-5 and the electricity usage. More specifically, a 35$\mu g/m^3$ increase in PM10 concentration is equivalent to 1 degree-Celsius increase in summer. In addition, the adaptation to PM is more pronounced in mild seasons when cooling and heating is not needed. Finally, adaptive inequalities are observed across households of heterogeneous characteristics.

My results point out to the limits of current adaptation policy. The existence of adaptation inequality across household segment suggest a policy to protect the most vulnerable such as light electricity-use households who are unable to adopt active adaptation options with illustration on the importance of integrating the broader impacts of household adaptation into policy decisions on the proper balance between mitigation and adaptation.