Ground-level ozone is getting worse. Here’s what it means for your health.

Heat and Ozone: A Growing Concern for Air Quality

“When you have high temperatures, a lot of sunshine, and stagnant air—which is common during a heat wave—that’s a perfect recipe for making surface ozone,” says Loretta Mickley, a senior research fellow in chemistry-climate interactions at Harvard University.

According to a study coauthored by Mickley, the United States will experience twice as many bad-air alert days triggered by high levels of ozone by the 2050s. This means that some parts of the country could see up to nine days a year with poor air quality.

Even at present, ozone is already contributing to worsened air quality in certain locations, according to Jeremy Porter, a climate implications scientist at First Street. Porter states that this is almost always linked to climate change. The Risk Factor website, developed by First Street, assesses the risk of air quality, floods, fires, and other climate-related hazards for individual properties across the country.

The role of ozone in worsening air quality is also emphasized by the U.S. government in its Fifth National Climate Assessment, released in the fall of last year. The report states that ozone is one of the factors contributing to the projected deterioration of air quality in many regions, posing risks to human health.

Heat’s Impact on Ozone Formation

Ground-level ozone is a colorless gas that forms when a mixture of precursor volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides interact with sunlight. While some of these precursors occur naturally from trees and soils, many are generated by human activities such as vehicle emissions, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, and chemical plants.

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
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action

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

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

• No specific indicators are mentioned in the article for Target 3.9.
• The article mentions that ozone is making air quality worse in some locations than previously, which can be used as an indicator for Target 11.6.
• The article highlights that ozone’s role is projected to worsen air quality in many regions, harming human health, which can be used as an indicator for Target 13.1.

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: nationalgeographic.com

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