Research
Publications
A hidden health impact of heat: exacerbated anemia in India, C. Lepault, P. Quirion, and P. Uginet
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Volume 139, August 2026
link to open access article | code
Mapping forward-looking mitigation studies at country level, C. Lepault and F. Lecocq
Environmental Research Letters, Volume 16.8, July 2021
link to open access article | code
Working papers
Is urban wastewater treatment effective in India? Evidence from water quality and infant mortalityR&R at Economic Journal (link to the latest version)
Abstract
In developing countries, untreated sewage exposes people to alarming water pollution levels, yet there is limited knowledge about the effectiveness of wastewater treatment investments. I evaluate the impact of wastewater treatment on water quality and infant mortality in India, exploiting the staggered introduction of urban sewage treatment plants over the period 2010-2020. I match granular data on sewage treatment plants, river water quality, as well as child births and deaths using the hydrological network. I show that after initiating wastewater treatment, levels of fecal coliforms – a commonly used measure of fecal contamination in water – decreased by 53% (95% CI: [7; 99]). Mortality under the age of six months – a critical period for digestive system development – declined by 20% (95% CI: [3; 36]) downstream of the plants, with larger effects observed for boys and children from the lowest wealth quintiles. The results are consistent across several estimators robust to heterogeneous treatment effects, are not driven by selective migration, and are found only downstream of the plants, which rules out confounding effects from other local policies. Wastewater treatment is cost-effective according to GDP-based thresholds, with a cost of INR 6 million per life saved and INR 85,000 per DALY averted for children under six months.
Work in progress
Fertilizers, water quality and perinatal health in India with Eléonore Rouault
The impact of work-related injuries on medical consumption with Anne-Celia Disdier and Carl Gaigné
Hot weather worsens anemia: evidence from Indonesian panel data with Emile Chaput, Philippe Quirion and Pierre Uginet
Other contributions
Contributing Author of Chapter 4: Mitigation and development pathways in the near- to mid-term of the \(6^{th}\) IPCC Assessment Report (AR6, WG III)
Participation in the creation of the AR6 Scenarios Database