Polls routinely find that most Americans believe air pollution has been getting worse, will worsen in the future, and is still a serious threat to health. The reality is just the opposite: air pollution has been dropping for decades, will continue to do so, and has become a minor factor in people’s health.

In Air Quality in America: A Dose of Reality on Air Pollution Levels, Trends, and Health Risks (AEI Press, January 2008), AEI scholars Joel M. Schwartz and Steven F. Hayward show that this disconnect between public perception and reality results from misinformation by environmental groups, regulatory agencies, and even scientists--all of whom have an interest in exaggerating risks and obscuring positive trends. Misperceptions about air quality trends and conditions contribute to squandering resources and misaligning environmental priorities.

Schwartz and Hayward’s Air Quality in America is a fact-filled study that explodes commonly held views on air pollution in America by offering detailed findings of actual air pollution levels and trends, as well as a careful analysis of existing health studies on the impact of air pollution on Americans. The authors particularly advocate the reform of U.S. air pollution policy and propose an accurate reporting of environmental issues based on realism and public welfare benefits, rather than fear.

Dallas Burtraw of Resources for the Future and Indur Goklany will join Schwartz and Hayward to discuss the current state of America’s air quality and regulation and where we should go from here.