Publicação
The impact of Big Events in Traffic and Air Quality: A Difference in Differences Study in Lisboa and Porto
| Resumo: | Major urban events pose significant challenges to city infrastructure, particularly regarding traffic congestion and air quality degradation. This study investigates the short-term impact of two large-scale events, Web Summit 2022 in Lisboa and NOS Primavera Sound 2022 in Porto on nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations and traffic incidents. Using a Difference-inDifferences (DiD) econometric framework, combined with spatial buffering and environmental and traffic data, the analysis compares treated areas surrounding event venues with control zones during event and non-event days. Descriptive results reveal a rise in traffic incidents during event periods in both cities, while NO₂ concentrations unexpectedly declined. However, causal inference via DiD models shows no statistically significant effect of either event on local air quality. In contrast, a significant and localized increase in traffic incidents is observed in Porto during NOS Primavera Sound. These findings suggest that while large events can disrupt mobility patterns in specific zones, their short-term environmental impact is harder to isolate. The study contributes to the understanding of event-driven urban disturbances and highlights the need for spatially targeted traffic management strategies. Limitations related to data coverage, meteorological controls, and the parallel trends assumption are discussed, pointing to directions for future research in urban resilience and sustainable event planning. |
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| Autores principais: | Fernandes, Tiago João Silva |
| Assunto: | Urban Events Air Quality Traffic Difference in Differences Spatiotemporal Analysis SDG 3 - Good health and well-being SDG 11 - Sustainable cities and communities SDG 13 - Climate action |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| Resumo: | Major urban events pose significant challenges to city infrastructure, particularly regarding traffic congestion and air quality degradation. This study investigates the short-term impact of two large-scale events, Web Summit 2022 in Lisboa and NOS Primavera Sound 2022 in Porto on nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations and traffic incidents. Using a Difference-inDifferences (DiD) econometric framework, combined with spatial buffering and environmental and traffic data, the analysis compares treated areas surrounding event venues with control zones during event and non-event days. Descriptive results reveal a rise in traffic incidents during event periods in both cities, while NO₂ concentrations unexpectedly declined. However, causal inference via DiD models shows no statistically significant effect of either event on local air quality. In contrast, a significant and localized increase in traffic incidents is observed in Porto during NOS Primavera Sound. These findings suggest that while large events can disrupt mobility patterns in specific zones, their short-term environmental impact is harder to isolate. The study contributes to the understanding of event-driven urban disturbances and highlights the need for spatially targeted traffic management strategies. Limitations related to data coverage, meteorological controls, and the parallel trends assumption are discussed, pointing to directions for future research in urban resilience and sustainable event planning. |
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