CoBenefits of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Improving Air

Co-Benefits of Energy Efficiency and Conservation: Improving Air Quality & NJ Health Today, Climate Change & Global Health Tomorrow Kim Knowlton, Dr. PH Post-Doctoral Research Scientist Email: kmk 47@columbia. edu Public Hearing - NJ Clean Air Council April 11, 2007 CORE Environmental Health Sciences

CORE Environmental Health Sciences Climate Change and Public Health Energy Demand

CORE Environmental Health Sciences Climate Change and Public Health v Metro NY City region home to ~8% of US population, including at-risk communities v Ozone non-compliance area, summer heat waves v Global/regional climate change may compound New York City urban heat island v Direct health effects of heat vs. indirect ozone, pollen effects Newark JFK SURFACE TEMPERATURE, Landsat ETM 7 Aug 14 2002, 10: 30 AM (source: Geography Dept, Hunter College)

CORE Climate change and human health: Environmental Health Sciences CC Climate Change and Public Health impacts of heat and ozone Certain population groups more vulnerable to heat stress and ozone air pollution Risk factors include: v. Age 65+ v. Pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory conditions v. Lack of air conditioning, city residence, low socioeconomic status, social isolation

CORE Environmental Health Sciences Ozone Formation CCClimate Change and Public Health

CORE Environmental Health Sciences CCClimate Change and Public Health US EPA (1991) in Kleinman and Lipfert (1996) Note threshold~90°F (32°C)

Increase in ozone levels from the 1990 s to the 2050 s Bell et al. Climatic Change (2007)

Average Number of 8 -Hour Ozone NAAQS Exceedance Days/Summer Bell et al. Climatic Change (2007)

CORE Change and Public Health Environmental Healththe Sciences What might future hold. CCClimate in our region? The New York Climate & Health Project Linking models for global and regional climate, land use and cover, and air quality… to examine the potential public health impacts of heat and air pollution under alternative scenarios of climate change & regional land use in the 2020 s, 2050 s, and 2080 s in the NYC metropolitan region. Funded by the USEPA STAR Research Program.

CORE Environmental Health Sciences CCClimate Change and Public Health Climate change impacts projected in NYC v More frequent, more severe storms in NYC v Summer heat-related mortality could nearly double by the 2050 s and more than triple by the 2080 s v Summer ozone-related mortality will increase both inside the five boroughs and beyond city limits

CORE Environmental Health Sciences CCClimate Change and Public Health Results: Summer heat & O 3 mortality risk assessment

CORE Immediate Local “Co-Benefits”: Environmental Health Sciences Climate Change and Public Health Reductions in Ozone- and Particulate Matter-Related Health Impacts

Health effects avoided from 2000 to 2020 CC in New York City due to ozone & particulate matter reductions if GHG mitigation measures are taken (Cifuentes et al. EHP 2001)

• Under increased CO 2 & temperature conditions, increased ragweed plant biomass, growth rate, pollen production (Ziska et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003) • CO 2 concentrations in NYC 37% higher than rural sites (Knowlton et al. , unpublished data) • Possible local effects of emissions on local health? Beggs & Bambrick Environ Health Perspect (2005)

CORE Environmental Health Sciences CCClimate Change and Public Health What can we do about it? Adaptation Mitigation v Energy efficiency & conservation v Reducing other greenhouse gases from industry, agriculture, waste management thru voluntary measures & government regulation v Rely more on renewable energy sources (wind, solar, etc. ) v Decarbonisation - CO 2 removal and storage v Biological carbon sequestration v Heat-health alert systems v Air conditioning distribution v Water resource and shoreline management v Wetlands restoration v Storm evacuation planning v Disaster preparedness planning v Revise corporate & business plans v. Improve community resiliency