By The Guardian.
Efforts to improve the climate could reduce the number of deaths caused by air pollution in the US by about 6,000 people a year by 2030, according to a study. If action is not taken, the situation is predicted to worsen. This is because of a growing and ageing population who are more vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution, resulting in nearly 13,000 increased air pollution deaths in 2030 compared with 2015.
The research, led by Princeton University, looked at pollution sources and population. These revealed health gains from climate actions across every US state and, more locally, in nearly every US county.
Climate actions are often framed around targets that are several decades away. Yet it is increasingly clear that reducing fossil fuel combustion will bring immediate benefits for the issue of air pollution.
“Under ambitious climate policies, states like West Virginia and Kentucky could see deaths from particle pollution decrease by over 19% in 2030, demonstrating the substantial health benefits of shifting away from fossil fuels.”
Policies and actions included more renewable energy, such as wind and solar power; increased uptake of electric cars; and the electrification of freight trucks.