Health co-benefits of achieving sustainable net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in California

Journal Article · Mon May 04 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Nature Sustainability

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0520-y· OSTI ID:1734873

Wang, Tianyang ^[1]; Jiang, Zhe ^[2]; Zhao, Bin ^[3]; Gu, Yu ^[3]; Liou, Kuo-Nan ^[3]; Kalandiyur, Nesamani ^[4]; Zhang, Da ^[5]; Zhu, Yifang ^[3]

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1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA (United States)
2. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
3. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
4. California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA (United States)
5. Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China); Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

The achievement of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2100 is required to limit global temperature rise below 2 °C above preindustrial levels. Earlier accomplishments of net-zero GHG emissions in developed regions support this global target. In this study, we have developed a road map for California to achieve net-zero GHG emissions sustainably in 2050 by using detailed modelling of energy system transformation, cross-sectoral connectivity and technology penetration, as well as quantify the associated health co-benefits from reduced co-emitted air pollutants. We find that approximately 14,000 premature deaths can be avoided in California in 2050 and that these health co-benefits are disproportionately higher in disadvantaged communities (that is, 35% of avoided deaths will come from 25% of the state’s population). The annualized monetary benefits (US$215 billion) exceed the GHG abatement cost (US$106 billion) by US$109 billion. This road map requires the use of bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration technology to offset some GHG emissions. However, this technology comes at a price as it would emit a considerable amount of air pollutants and reduce health co-benefits by US$4 billion. Nevertheless, our analysis shows that ambitious GHG reduction efforts can provide substantial health co-benefits, especially for residents of disadvantaged communities.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1734873
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA--152542
• Journal Information: Nature Sustainability, Journal Name: Nature Sustainability Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 3; ISSN 2398-9629
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
climate-change mitigation
energy and society
environmental impact
public health
sustainability