Cities pay a climate penalty as air pollution worsens

Air Quality in the US Threatened by Climate Change, Warns Report

For decades, the U.S. has inched toward a future with cleaner air. Federal legislation like the Air Quality Act of 1967 and the Clean Air Acts of 1963 and 1970 significantly improved air quality over the last 50 years, but now experts warn that climate change could be unraveling the country’s progress. 

With climate-driven wildfires, drought, and extreme heat becoming more common, air quality will continue to worsen, according to a recent report from the climate research nonprofit First Street Foundation, or FSF. 

The Impact of Climate Change on Air Quality

“It’s interesting that at a national level, we’re starting to see this inflection point, or what the literature oftentimes refers to as the climate penalty,” said Jeremy Porter, head of FSF’s climate implications research, during the foundation’s Feb. 14 webinar. “This climate penalty really indicates that we’ve improved air quality from regulatory policies, but climate is now starting to reverse some of those gains.” 

The report found that western communities like Seattle, Sacramento, and San Francisco are most vulnerable to increased air quality risks because they’re in fire-prone areas, but the effects of wildfire smoke, which is a large contributor to air quality, are dispersed throughout the country. Emissions from transportation and industry as well as a region’s topography and weather patterns can also impact local air quality. A prime example would be last year’s wildfires in Canada that shrouded major cities like New York City and Chicago in smoky, hazy air, researchers wrote. 

Health Risks and Future Projections

That means breathing could get a lot harder over the next three decades, researchers warned. 

As the climate becomes hotter and drier, especially with smoke from wildfires, that leaves communities at risk of more polluting particulate matter or ground-level ozone circulating through the air. Breathing in harmful particulate matter leaves vulnerable individuals susceptible to health risks like asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, the report stated. 

Currently, FSF estimates that more than 14 million U.S. properties experience at least seven days of poor air quality just from particulate matter, with 5.7 million of those properties dealing with at least 10 days of unhealthy air annually due to smoke. Within the next 30 years, an additional 1.7 million properties could see at least 14 days of poor air quality days a year. 

The promise of deteriorating air conditions “may lead many Americans to consider moving away from areas with poor air quality or avoid moving to those areas altogether,” researchers wrote. Beyond the health risks to residents, this climate-related penalty “could result in reduced tax bases for affected areas, decreasing their capacity to invest in infrastructure, adapt to the changing environment, and provide community services.”  

Addressing Air Quality Challenges

That’s why FSF recently updated their Risk Factor data tool that details fire, flood, wind, and heat risks to individual properties. The application was designed to help inform state and local governments’ regulatory policies and programs aimed at improving the air quality in their communities. 

The new air quality profile provides information such as the projected number of days with poor air quality in the current year, in 15 years, and in 30 years. It also describes and maps nearby facilities that contribute to air pollution and details what chemicals they emit based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency, said Matthew Eby, CEO, and founder of FSF. 

The data could also help agencies stay in compliance with federal environmental standards, such as the EPA’s new air particulate matter rule, which reduced the acceptable level of particulate matter from 12 micrograms of matter per cubic meter of air to 9 micrograms. 

Ultimately, FSF’s air data tool could help state and local governments better align policies and programs to meet ever-changing environmental conditions and standards, said Ed Kearns, the foundation’s chief data officer. 

The data may suggest a need to deploy air quality monitors or air filters in a community, for instance, to more closely track and manage air quality conditions, Eby said. 

Houston, Texas, for example, is using $500,000 from an EPA grant to deploy nine air quality sensors and a mobile monitoring unit for tracking air quality conditions over the next three years, which will help government officials implement pollution mitigation efforts. In October, the Washington state Department of Ecology started deploying 50 air-quality monitors throughout the state to track the prevalence of air pollutants. Officials said data from the monitors will support the establishment and enforcement of pollution regulations and air quality standards. 

The Importance of Clean Air

Such efforts could help more communities comply with the EPA’s standard for clean air, which officials estimate could prevent “up to 4,200 premature deaths per year and 270,000 lost work days per year, resulting in as much as $43 billion in net health benefits annually,” researchers wrote.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The article discusses the impact of deteriorating air quality on human health, specifically mentioning respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. This aligns with SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article highlights the vulnerability of communities to increased air quality risks, particularly in fire-prone areas. SDG 11 focuses on creating sustainable cities and communities, including paying attention to air quality management.

SDG 13: Climate Action

The article emphasizes the role of climate change in worsening air quality through climate-driven wildfires. SDG 13 aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.

The article discusses the health risks associated with poor air quality, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Target 3.9 aims to reduce deaths and illnesses caused by air pollution.

Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.

The article mentions the impact of emissions from transportation and industry on local air quality. Target 11.6 focuses on reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities, including air quality management.

Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

The article highlights the increasing risks of climate-driven wildfires and their impact on air quality. Target 13.1 aims to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

– Number of premature deaths and illnesses related to air pollution: This indicator can measure progress towards Target 3.9 by tracking the reduction in health impacts caused by poor air quality.
– Number of days with poor air quality: This indicator can measure progress towards both Target 3.9 and Target 11.6 by monitoring the frequency of poor air quality events.
– Number of cities with effective air quality management policies: This indicator can measure progress towards Target 11.6 by assessing the implementation of policies and measures to improve air quality in cities.
– Frequency and intensity of climate-driven wildfires: This indicator can measure progress towards Target 13.1 by monitoring the occurrence and severity of wildfires influenced by climate change.
– Number of properties at risk due to climate-related air quality risks: This indicator can measure progress towards Target 13.1 by identifying the extent of vulnerability to climate-related air quality risks.

By tracking these indicators, policymakers and stakeholders can assess the progress made in addressing the issues highlighted in the article.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: route-fifty.com

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