Environmental Health Costs in Colombia : The Changes from 2002 to 2010

Despite considerable progress in the
area of environmental management over the last decade,
Colombia still faces significant impacts from population
exposure to urban air pollution, inadequate access to water
supply and sanitation, and indoor air pollution from solid
fuel use. This study estimates that the total health cost
attributable to these three factors amounts to about 10.2
trillion Colombian Pesos (COP) annually, or about 2 percent
of GDP in 2010. In terms of mortality, about 7,600 annual
premature deaths can be attributed to these environmental
factors. This study updates some of the estimates of
environmental health costs reported in the 2005 Colombia
Country Environmental Analysis environmental priorities and
poverty reduction . Specific policy recommendations and
targeted interventions can be derived from future analysis
of environmental health costs at subnational level,
cost-benefit analysis of specific policy interventions, and
an analysis of the burden of health costs disaggregated by
population groups and poverty levels. Disaggregated
statistics on health outcomes, fuel use, and access to
infrastructure services, epidemiological studies, and air
quality models (urban and industrial areas) are required for
such analysis. Disaggregated assessments and cost benefit
analysis, recommended for future studies, will facilitate an
evaluation of policy and investment outcomes in terms of
their impacts on the most vulnerable groups and the extent
to which they are well targeted and benefit the poor.