@article {Rosales-Rueda0117-8497R1, author = {Maria Rosales-Rueda and Margaret Triyana}, title = {The Persistent Effects of Early-Life Exposure to Air Pollution: Evidence from the Indonesian Forest Fires}, elocation-id = {0117-8497R1}, year = {2018}, doi = {10.3368/jhr.54.4.0117.8497R1}, publisher = {University of Wisconsin Press}, abstract = {We analyze the effects of early-life exposure to air pollution in a developing country on children{\textquoteright}s long-term human capital outcomes. We exploit the geographical variation of the 1997 Indonesian forest fires and cohort variation in exposure as a natural experiment. Children exposed to the fires are shorter on average three years post-exposure and have lower lung capacity 10 years post-exposure, but only children who were exposed in-utero continue to exhibit shorter stature at 10 and 17 years post-exposure. We find suggestive evidence that these persistent effects may be due to expectant mothers experiencing poorer respiratory health during the fires.}, issn = {0022-166X}, URL = {https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2018/04/02/jhr.54.4.0117.8497R1}, eprint = {https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2018/04/02/jhr.54.4.0117.8497R1.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Human Resources} }