Assessing the Effects of the Green-Blue Municipality Program on Human Health in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The Green-Blue Municipality Program (GBMP) was implemented in 2008 by the government of São Paulo State, Brazil. This program has as main goal to improve the environmental quality through actions based on ecofriendly directives. This study evaluates the impact of GBMP certification on hospitalizations regarding air quality and cases of diseases due to contact with contaminated water in São Paulo State from 2007 to 2015. This analysis focuses on the effects of post-certification, then pre-certification effects are not identified, classifying this analysis as partial. The identification strategies used were Propensity Score Matching and Difference-in-Differences. Estimates suggest that no significant reduction in the cases of diseases related to polluted water and air quality is observed in municipalities that received the GBMP certificate in initial years.