A Global Snapshot of the Air Pollution-Related Health Impacts of Transportation Sector Emissions in 2010 and 2015

Air pollution is the world's chief environmental health hazard, causing nearly 3.5 million deaths in 2017 from stroke, heart and lung diseases, and diabetes. Transportation is a major source of this burden through emissions of particulate matter (PM₂₋₅), ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. Transportation emissions have been changing rapidly around the world, and updated estimates of transportation-related disease are needed. The authors provide updated estimates of global transportation emissions of PM₂₋₅ and ozone and their health impacts in 2010 and 2015. Despite recent adoptions of more stringent vehicle emission regulations in some major vehicle markets, transportation remains a major contributor to air pollution and its associated diseases. There is a need for transportation emissions reduction to be a central element of national and local planning for reducing air pollution and its impacts on public health. Wherever vehicle emissions standards have not yet been adopted, countries should accelerate their implementation, to avoid continuation of the public health damages highlighted in this report. The experiences of the top vehicle markets indicate a substantial time lag between implementation of new standards and the realization of their full benefits. Countries and trade blocs that have already implemented vehicle emission standards should consider accelerating the public health benefits with strategies to reduce emissions from in-use vehicles, such as low emission zones, retrofit and scrappage programs, and fleet renewal. Urban areas and local jurisdictions can justify aggressive action because of their disproportionate exposure to emissions. Reducing transportation emissions while concurrently improving access to active travel and public transit also would have benefits in terms of reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Without such actions, the public health impacts from transportation emissions will increase.

• Record URL:
  https://www.theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/Global_health_impacts_transport_emissions_2010-2015_20190226.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  Climate and Clean Air Coalition

  1 Rue Miollis
  Paris,   France  75015

  International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)

  1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 900
  Washington, DC  United States  20005
• Authors:
  • Anenberg, Susan
  • Miller, Joshua
  • Henze, Daven
  • Minjares, Ray
• Publication Date: 2019

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 55p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Air pollution sources; Exhaust gases; Health hazards; Nitrogen dioxide; Ozone; Particulates; Public health; Transportation
• Subject Areas: Environment; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01711951
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 22 2019 10:32AM