Essays on Environmental and Energy Challenges

Environmental and energy challenges are some of the most pressing issues worldwide, affecting both human well-being and the planet's future. This thesis focuses on key environmental and energy challenges faced by Europe and the United States, examining their impacts on health, public opinion, and regional economies. The first chapter studies the relationship between air pollution and COVID-19. It finds evidence of a significant link between higher levels of air pollution and the incidence, spread, and mortality of COVID-19. This chapter provides important insights for the relationship between the largest worldwide environmental health risk factor and the most severe pandemic in recent history, to understand the health implications of air pollution in the context of pandemics. The second and third chapters explore how energy prices influence public support for climate and energy policies. One chapter focuses on how gasoline prices shape public attitudes toward climate policies, while the other examines how the energy crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine has impacted public attitudes toward the energy transition. Both chapters investigate how socio-demographic factors shape these dynamics. The final chapter analyzes the regional distributional impacts of the clean energy transition by assessing the economic and labor effects of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). This chapter highlights how environmental policies influence regional economic performance and labor market outcomes. By addressing these interconnected issues, this thesis contributes to understanding the challenges of designing environmental and energy policies that are effective, acceptable, and equitable.