We are facing an epic twin challenge: climate change and the air pollution crisis.<\/p>\n
One way we can confront this challenge is by approaching transport solutions with both a climate and clean air lens \u2013 simultaneously targeting multiple pollutants that warm the planet and harm our health.<\/p>\n
Transport, health and climate<\/strong><\/p>\n Transport is one of the main sources of air pollution around the world, with direct effects on mortality as well as on respiratory and cardiovascular disease. These effects disproportionately impact vulnerable populations like children, the elderly and those with preexisting conditions. For example, a recent health impact assessment<\/a> by Environmental Defense Fund estimated more than 2,500 lives are lost and 5,200 children develop asthma every year in the San Francisco Bay Area due to exposure to traffic-related pollution.<\/p>\n Transport-related sources of air pollution that damage our health are also sources of climate pollution. The extraction, transport and refining of hydrocarbons and the burning of gasoline, diesel or any other fuel to power our vehicles emits a cocktail of substances that harm both people and environmental health, as well as a mixture of greenhouse gases that heat the Earth.<\/p>\n With overlapping sources of pollution, the transportation sector presents a huge opportunity to achieve both climate and air pollution goals simultaneously.<\/p>\n The dangers of looking at climate without a clean air lens<\/strong><\/p>\n Often climate and air quality goals are treated separately within a city or region, creating an artificial division and disconnected solutions. A city might have a climate plan and a distinct air pollution plan, run by different teams, which can inadvertently lead to harmful health outcomes.<\/p>\n For example, in the 1990s and 2000s in the European Union, climate policy encouraged drivers to switch to diesel vehicles. That policy was focused on reducing carbon pollution \u2013 without accounting for the significant amount of nitrogen dioxide (NO2<\/sub>) pollution that diesel engines put into the air. According to the American Lung Association<\/a>, NO2<\/sub> is associated with increased inflammation of the airways that can cause:<\/p>\n The pro-diesel policy led to a huge uptick in diesel-fueled cars on European roads, kicking off a new wave of air pollution that cities across the continent are still grappling with today. In London, for example, our research revealed how diesel pollution remains a huge source of the city\u2019s air pollution, with diesel cars serving as the largest single source contributor to nitrogen oxides (NOx<\/sub>) pollution<\/a> at London primary schools. NOx<\/sub> is a group of gases that includes NO2<\/sub>.<\/p>\n The benefits of an integrated approach<\/strong><\/p>\n Fortunately, city leaders are beginning to address climate and air pollution goals simultaneously. For example, Medellin, Colombia launched an Integrated Air Quality Management Plan<\/a> that addresses both climate pollutants and health-damaging air pollutants. The plan includes the implementation of a Low Emission Zone<\/a> focused on reducing fine particulate matter pollution and the incorporation of 64 zero-emission buses to the city\u2019s Bus Rapid Transit system.<\/p>\n Sustainable transport is not just about clean vehicles. The \u2018Avoid-Shift-Improve framework<\/a>\u2019 from the SLOCAT Partnership<\/a> is useful:<\/p>\n Integrated climate and clean air solutions means more livable cities where people can breathe clean air, safely walk and cycle and access better and affordable public transport. It means optimized freight logistics, options to reduce commuting whenever possible and technologies and measures to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions. Integrated solutions mean using less-polluting vehicles and creating connected cities in which people can enjoy family and friends, go to school, work and have fun \u2013 all within a short distance.<\/p>\n We can tackle our twin challenge of climate and air pollution, with transport playing a key role in reducing emissions, protecting people\u2019s health and achieving multiple other benefits for our lives and the planet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We are facing an epic twin challenge: climate change and the air pollution crisis. One way we can confront this challenge is by approaching transport solutions with both a climate and clean air lens \u2013 simultaneously targeting multiple pollutants that warm the planet and harm our health. Transport, health and climate Transport is one of …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":147793,"featured_media":2301,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,11,12,13],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-2299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate","category-government-official-policymaker","category-health","category-homepage"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n
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