Analyzing Effects of Environment Quality Improvement on Life Expectancy in Iran (Based on Economic Approach)

 In addition to environmental pollution negative effects on development process of countries, it can affect other aspects of quantity and quality of human life and on life expectancy as an important component of Human Development Index. According to undeniable importance of life expectancy and its role in sustainable development, public health promotion and optimal allocation of individual and national resources, the purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that affecting health quality; hence we assume that health quality promote through economic, social and environmental factors such as environmental pollution.

 In order to investigate the effects of environmental quality improvement on life expectancy in Iran, we use statistical information of 30 provinces during the period 2003-2014 by using Generalized Method of Moments; and health production function estimated for this purpose. It should be noted that the carbon dioxide emissions has been used in provinces as an indicator of environment quality.

 The results indicates that environmental pollution have a significant and negative impact on life expectancy, In other words, increasing CO2 emissions reduced life expectancy in Iran provinces. The relationship between GDP per capita, industrialization index and literacy rate with life expectancy are significant and positive. But health's per capita expenditures, urbanization rate and lag pollution have a negative impact on life expectancy.

 According to the obtained results of this study, increased pollution associated with increased mortality and reduced life expectancy. Since non-negligible negative consequences of pollution on life expectancy in the form of health index or human development is concerned, therefore in terms of the pollution component and its effect on measuring life expectancy in one hand could raise development leveland in other hand it is associated with people health and environment; so environmental protection in a society’s planning system can achieve sustainable development.