CNN
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If gas guzzlers disappeared from U.S. car lots by 2035 and were replaced by zero-emissions vehicles — essentially electric cars, trucks and SUVs — the nation would see 89,300 fewer premature deaths by 2050, according to a new report from American Lung Association. But the country should also move more toward clean, non-combustion electricity, such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and nuclear, to see the health benefits.
The report, released Wednesday, says Americans would have 2.2 million fewer asthma attacks and 10.7 million fewer lost work days, and the country would see $978 billion in health benefits. public health with the move to cleaner vehicles and a cleaner electricity supply.
“There are very clear benefits to zero-emission technologies,” said report author William Barrett, senior national director of clean air advocacy at the American Lung Association.
The report “Driving for clean air: health benefits of zero-emission cars and electricity” uses an analysis of data from the association’s March 2022 report “Approaching Air healthy”.
Transportation is the leading source of air pollution in the US and the biggest creator of carbon pollution driving the climate crisis, the US Environmental Protection Agency has found. And exposure to any type of pollution harms our health: studies show that it significantly increases the risk of premature death or chronic conditions such as asthma, heart problems and even depression and Alzheimer’s.
About 120 million people in the United States live in areas with unhealthy air, according to an American Lung Association report released this year.
Low-income communities and communities of color, regardless of income, are disproportionately affected by this health threat. These communities often live closer to major sources of air pollution such as major roads and power plants, the studies show.
“This transition to zero-emissions technologies is critical as a whole, but especially critical to ensure that we target policies and investments and incentive programs so that all communities can take advantage of these health benefits and life choices. healthier transportation,” Barrett said. .
The switch to zero-emission vehicles would be a massive change for the US. Although the number of people driving them is growing, only 4.6% of cars sold in the US in 2021 were electric, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The change would require an upfront investment, says Dr. Jason West, who studies pollution research and its impact on public health, but the benefits may outweigh the costs of such actions in the first place.
“There are huge health benefits to be gained by switching widely to electric vehicles,” said West, a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, who does not was involved with the new report. “The other part of the report says that this positive health outcome comes when coupled with combustion-free electricity generation. So that’s an important part as well. It’s not just about switching to electric vehicles, but to provide the additional electricity needed for these electric vehicles. So it would be renewable, wind and solar or possibly nuclear.”
The auto industry and the federal government are taking big steps to accelerate the shift to zero-emission vehicles.
The Biden administration has made a push to reduce pollution on two fronts through stricter vehicle emissions standards and more aggressive limits on energy sector pollution.
In 2021, the EPA restored the Obama-era self-pollution rules. In April, the agency proposed a rule that would create even stricter emissions standards for all cars and light trucks. If the rule ends, it will likely make at least two-thirds of new cars and trucks on the road zero-emissions by 2032, the American Lung Association says.
The EPA has also proposed rules that would set more aggressive limits on particulate pollution, greenhouse gases and ozone-forming emissions. With the draft particulate pollution rule alone, the current limit – which has been on the books since 2012 – would be tightened by 25%. According to the administration’s estimate, this could prevent at least 4,200 premature deaths annually
Congress has also worked to limit pollution. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 created incentives for Americans to buy zero-emission vehicles by extending a tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new electric vehicle through August 2032. It is also the first time the tax credit could be applied to buy a used electric vehicle.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2022 should also accelerate the creation of networks that can keep fuel electric cars on the road. The act provides money to upgrade the nation’s power grid and $7.5 billion to build a nationwide charging network.
States have taken additional steps to reduce traffic-related pollution. Seven, including California, have adopted a policy that says all sales of new passenger vehicles must be zero-emissions by 2035, and more states are seriously looking at adopting it, Barrett said. More than 15 states have instituted additional state-level vehicle standards.
More automakers are also moving to make cleaner vehicles. There’s a wider range of options than ever before, and battery capacity and range have improved a lot, and are expected to improve even more in the near future. Most major automakers plan to launch dozens of new models over the next decade and are investing billions in building plants to produce batteries and other electric vehicle innovations.
“The return on investment in clean air policies is well-known, and it really speaks to the effectiveness of policies that require changes to clean the air,” Barrett said. “They create improved health, reduce climate pollution and create jobs in new sectors and have many, many benefits.”
