A systems approach to evaluating the air quality co-benefits of US carbon policies

• Verfasst von: Thompson, Tammy M. [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Rausch, Sebastian [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Saari, Rebecca K. [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Selin, Noelle Eckley [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: A systems approach to evaluating the air quality co-benefits of US carbon policies
• Verf.angabe: Tammy M. Thompson, Sebastian Rausch, Rebecca K. Saari and Noelle E. Selin
• E-Jahr: 2014
• Jahr: 24 August 2014
• Umfang: 7 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 18.04.2023
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Nature climate change
• Ort Quelle: London : Nature Publ. Group, 2010
• Jahr Quelle: 2014
• Band/Heft Quelle: 4(2014), 10, Seite 917-923
• ISSN Quelle: 1758-6798
• DOI: doi:10.1038/nclimate2342
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Sach-SW: Atmospheric chemistry
• Sach-SW: Climate-change policy
• Sach-SW: Economics
• K10plus-PPN: 1843002043

Abstract

Because human activities emit greenhouse gases (GHGs) and conventional air pollutants from common sources, policy designed to reduce GHGs can have co-benefits for air quality that may offset some or all of the near-term costs of GHG mitigation. We present a systems approach to quantify air quality co-benefits of US policies to reduce GHG (carbon) emissions. We assess health-related benefits from reduced ozone and particulate matter (PM2.5) by linking three advanced models, representing the full pathway from policy to pollutant damages. We also examine the sensitivity of co-benefits to key policy-relevant sources of uncertainty and variability. We find that monetized human health benefits associated with air quality improvements can offset 26-1,050% of the cost of US carbon policies. More flexible policies that minimize costs, such as cap-and-trade standards, have larger net co-benefits than policies that target specific sectors (electricity and transportation). Although air quality co-benefits can be comparable to policy costs for present-day air quality and near-term US carbon policies, potential co-benefits rapidly diminish as carbon policies become more stringent.