Dr Adrian Davis
Top line: A growing body of research demonstrates that the co-benefits of climate policy are very significant, and can partly or fully offset the cost of climate mitigation.
Climate policy is typically evaluated in terms of costs per tonne of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions avoided (marginal abatement cost). However, this narrow approach ignores many important benefits and costs of climate mitigation policy, such as health benefits of reduced air pollution, or visual impacts of wind farms. Policy makers need to take these external costs/co-benefits into account to ensure optimal outcomes for society.
Many actions to reduce GHG emissions have wider impacts on health, the economy, and the environment, beyond their role in mitigating climate change. Researchers have undertaken a quantitative review of the wider impacts on health and the environment likely to arise from action to meet the UK’s legally-binding carbon budgets. Impacts were assessed for climate measures including transport. The study considered a wide range of health and environmental impacts including air pollution, noise, the upstream impacts of fuel extraction, and the lifestyle benefits of active travel. It was not possible to quantify all impacts, but for those that were monetized (not just transport) the co-benefits of climate action significantly outweigh the negative impacts, with a net present value of more than £85 billion from 2008 to 2030. Substantial benefits arise from reduced congestion, pollution, noise, and road accidents as a result of avoided journeys through ‘smarter choices’ (active travel, a shift to public transport, and demand reduction). There is also a large health benefit as a result of increased exercise from walking and cycling instead of driving. Awareness of these benefits could strengthen the case for more ambitious climate mitigation action. The need for public health practitioners to work more closely with the transport sector is paramount.
The largest benefit is from reduced congestion, estimated as £8.4 billion per year in 2030, with a net present value of £48 billion from 2008 to 2030. This partly reflects the high value of the economic cost of time lost due to traffic delays according to the UK Dept. for Transport. The benefit can be maximized by targeting support for active transport on areas where congestion is significant.
There is also a large health benefit as a result of increased exercise from walking and cycling instead of driving. Around 34,000 disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) are saved in 2030, valued at over £2.5 billion per year, with a net present value of £26 billion from 2008 to 2030. This reflects the significant health impact of sedentary lifestyles in the UK, where one study estimates that physical inactivity costs the National Health Service almost £11 billion per year. Two-thirds of attributable deaths in high-income countries are due to unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity, and heart disease and strokes are the leading causes of death for people over 45 years.
1 Smith, A. et al. 2015 Health and environmental co-benefits and conflicts of action to meet UK carbon targets, Climate Policy, 16:3, 253-283.
2 Shaw, C. et al. 2017. Health co-benefits of policies to mitigate climate change in the transport sector: Systematic Review, Journal of Transport and Health, S107-S108
"Dr. Adrian Davis: ""Kuna utafiti unaoongezeka unaonyesha kwamba faida za sera za hali ya hewa ni kubwa sana na zinaweza kusawazisha gharama ya kupunguza hali ya hewa." Mfumo wa hali ya hewa kwa kawaida ni tathmini katika suala la gharama kwa kila tani ya gesi ya chafu (GHG) uzalishaji kuepukwa (masharti ya kupunguza gharama). Hata hivyo, mbinu hii nyembamba hupuuza faida nyingi muhimu na gharama za sera ya kupunguza hali ya hewa, kama vile faida za afya za uchafuzi wa hewa wa chini, au athari za kuona za mashamba ya upepo. Watengenezaji wa sera wanahitaji kuzingatia gharama hizi za nje na faida za pamoja ili kuhakikisha matokeo bora kwa jamii. Hatua nyingi za kupunguza uzalishaji wa gesi za chafu zina athari kubwa kwa afya, uchumi, na mazingira, zaidi ya jukumu lao katika kupunguza mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. Watafiti wamefanya ukaguzi wa kiasi cha athari kubwa kwa afya na mazingira ambayo inaweza kutokea kutokana na hatua ya kukidhi bajeti za kaboni za kisheria za Uingereza. Athari zilipimwa kwa ajili ya hatua za hali ya hewa ikiwa ni pamoja na usafiri. Utafiti huo ulizingatia athari nyingi za afya na mazingira, pamoja na uchafuzi wa hewa, kelele, athari za juu za uchimbaji wa mafuta, na faida za mtindo wa maisha ya kusafiri kwa bidii. Kwa sababu ya hali ya hewa, matokeo ya athari za hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa ya hali ya hewa. Faida kubwa hutokea kutokana na kupunguzwa kwa msongamano wa magari, uchafuzi wa hewa, kelele, na ajali za barabarani kama matokeo ya kuepukwa kwa safari kupitia "uchaguzi wa busara" (kusafiri kwa bidii, kubadilisha usafiri wa umma, na kupunguza mahitaji). Pia kuna faida kubwa ya afya kama matokeo ya kuongezeka kwa mazoezi ya kutembea na kuendesha baiskeli badala ya kuendesha gari. Ujuzi wa faida hizi unaweza kuimarisha kesi kwa ajili ya hatua ya kupunguza hali ya hewa ya tamaa zaidi. Uhitaji wa watendaji wa afya ya umma kufanya kazi kwa karibu zaidi na sekta ya usafiri ni muhimu sana. """Msaada mkubwa ni kutoka kwa kupunguza msongamano wa magari, unaokadiriwa kuwa pauni bilioni 8.4 kwa mwaka katika 2030, na thamani ya sasa ya safi ya pauni bilioni 48 kutoka 2008 hadi 2030." Hii kwa sehemu inaonyesha thamani ya juu ya gharama ya kiuchumi ya muda uliopotea kutokana na ucheleweshaji wa trafiki kulingana na Idara ya Uingereza. kwa ajili ya Usafiri. Faida inaweza kuwa maximized kwa lengo msaada kwa ajili ya usafiri hai katika maeneo ambapo msongamano ni kubwa. Pia kuna faida kubwa ya afya kama matokeo ya kuongezeka kwa mazoezi ya kutembea na kuendesha baiskeli badala ya kuendesha gari. Mwaka huu, watu watapata miaka 34,000 ya maisha ya uharibifu wa uwezo wa kufanya kazi, na thamani ya maisha ya uharibifu wa maisha ya uharibifu wa maisha ya uharibifu wa maisha ya uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu wa uharibifu. Hii inaonyesha athari kubwa ya afya ya mtindo wa maisha wa kukaa nchini Uingereza, ambapo utafiti mmoja unakadiria kuwa ukosefu wa shughuli za mwili unagharimu Huduma ya Kitaifa ya Afya karibu pauni bilioni 11 kwa mwaka. "Tatu ya vifo katika nchi zenye mapato ya juu ni kwa sababu ya lishe isiyo na afya na ukosefu wa shughuli za mwili, na magonjwa ya moyo na kiharusi ni sababu kuu za vifo kwa watu zaidi ya miaka 45.""" 1 Smith, A. et al. Utafiti wa afya na mazingira na migogoro ya hatua ya kufikia malengo ya kaboni ya Uingereza, Sera ya Hali ya Hewa, 16:3-25: 28 2 Shaw, C. et al. Mwaka wa 2017. Matokeo ya utafiti wa hali ya hewa katika sekta ya usafiri: Mapitio ya Mfumo, Jarida la Usafiri na Afya, S107-108