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Public perception and valuation of UV health risks in low and high risk countries

Public perception and valuation of UV health risks in low and high risk countries
Public perception and valuation of UV health risks in low and high risk countries

This paper is concerned with valuing the health risks of sun exposure due to ultra violet (UV) radiation. The study's main objective is to assess the public perception and valuation of UV health risks in countries in which the scientifically established risk levels are significantly different. Using a multi-country survey, we investigate the relationships between risk awareness, perception, behaviour and willingness to pay for risk reductions. These risk reduction premia are evaluated both for a private good (a new sun protection product) and a public good (a global fund for reducing global emissions of stratospheric ozone-depleting substances). We find that public awareness of risks is highest in New Zealand. Interestingly, the health effects of sunbathing are perceived as more detrimental in South Europe (Portugal and Greece) than in North Europe (England and Scotland), even though the actual risks are higher in the latter. We furthermore find that a substantial market exists for higher protection sunscreens, as evidenced by willingness to pay in the private good case. These willingness to pay amounts can be fairly well explained using a model incorporating both exogenous risk factors and risk-reducing behaviour. In terms of the public good, the policy message, which emerges is that public willingness to contribute to the Multilateral Fund established under the Montreal Protocol is highly variable across the countries studied.

0967-8875
Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment, University of East Anglia
Brouwer, Roy
e05861b5-5961-45cd-9de0-883067908c5e
Bateman, Ian J.
32951f10-7d68-4ca7-9e1f-51eee0582464
Hanley, Nick
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Dubourg, Richard
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Georgiou, Stavros
f9ccfd99-5744-4dbd-9850-547d07cdd6ba
Kontogianni, Areti
b7332e8e-d23b-40cd-82b0-191b57a66e0f
Machado, Fernando
5c6ae4d9-00ee-44c4-bec0-45cf0f27e151
Mourato, Susana
fc204943-2847-4ffa-9f69-0e1644b26ced
Saunders, Caroline
72134b95-19bd-457b-8eb0-b0902848a897
Skourtos, Michalis S.
07bec4a7-7696-4b85-bc11-ef5f9d9b2193
Tompkins, Emma
a6116704-7140-4e37-bea1-2cbf39b138c3
Brouwer, Roy
e05861b5-5961-45cd-9de0-883067908c5e
Bateman, Ian J.
32951f10-7d68-4ca7-9e1f-51eee0582464
Hanley, Nick
1b494ec2-8e8c-4a64-8fef-17b6a1a521e2
Dubourg, Richard
ea227004-f620-4a19-a83b-e55ebc4ef172
Georgiou, Stavros
f9ccfd99-5744-4dbd-9850-547d07cdd6ba
Kontogianni, Areti
b7332e8e-d23b-40cd-82b0-191b57a66e0f
Machado, Fernando
5c6ae4d9-00ee-44c4-bec0-45cf0f27e151
Mourato, Susana
fc204943-2847-4ffa-9f69-0e1644b26ced
Saunders, Caroline
72134b95-19bd-457b-8eb0-b0902848a897
Skourtos, Michalis S.
07bec4a7-7696-4b85-bc11-ef5f9d9b2193
Tompkins, Emma
a6116704-7140-4e37-bea1-2cbf39b138c3

Brouwer, Roy, Bateman, Ian J., Hanley, Nick, Dubourg, Richard, Georgiou, Stavros, Kontogianni, Areti, Machado, Fernando, Mourato, Susana, Saunders, Caroline, Skourtos, Michalis S. and Tompkins, Emma (2001) Public perception and valuation of UV health risks in low and high risk countries (Working Paper - Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment) Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment, University of East Anglia 39pp.

Record type: Monograph (Working Paper)

Abstract

This paper is concerned with valuing the health risks of sun exposure due to ultra violet (UV) radiation. The study's main objective is to assess the public perception and valuation of UV health risks in countries in which the scientifically established risk levels are significantly different. Using a multi-country survey, we investigate the relationships between risk awareness, perception, behaviour and willingness to pay for risk reductions. These risk reduction premia are evaluated both for a private good (a new sun protection product) and a public good (a global fund for reducing global emissions of stratospheric ozone-depleting substances). We find that public awareness of risks is highest in New Zealand. Interestingly, the health effects of sunbathing are perceived as more detrimental in South Europe (Portugal and Greece) than in North Europe (England and Scotland), even though the actual risks are higher in the latter. We furthermore find that a substantial market exists for higher protection sunscreens, as evidenced by willingness to pay in the private good case. These willingness to pay amounts can be fairly well explained using a model incorporating both exogenous risk factors and risk-reducing behaviour. In terms of the public good, the policy message, which emerges is that public willingness to contribute to the Multilateral Fund established under the Montreal Protocol is highly variable across the countries studied.

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Published date: 2001

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 486202
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/486202
ISSN: 0967-8875
PURE UUID: db6538ca-d406-4590-88d8-3119f00da29e
ORCID for Emma Tompkins: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4825-9797

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Date deposited: 12 Jan 2024 17:48
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 01:49

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Contributors

Author: Roy Brouwer
Author: Ian J. Bateman
Author: Nick Hanley
Author: Richard Dubourg
Author: Stavros Georgiou
Author: Areti Kontogianni
Author: Fernando Machado
Author: Susana Mourato
Author: Caroline Saunders
Author: Michalis S. Skourtos
Author: Emma Tompkins ORCID iD

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