Controlling energy-related air pollutants can save 50,000 lives in the United States and save $ 600 billion annually.

Eliminating air pollutants generated by energy-related activities in the United States can prevent premature deaths of more than 50,000 people and save more than $ 600 billion in the economy each year. New research I found.

Published on Monday at GeoHealth, this study explored the potential benefits of removing particulates released into the atmosphere through power generation, transportation, industrial activity, heating, and cooking. The authors say that these activities not only burn fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases, but also produce particulate matter, which is a major cause of climate change.

Studies have shown that exposure to particulate matter (particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) can contribute to health problems such as heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and lower respiratory tract infections, extending lifespan. It may shrink.

Scientists have determined that reducing these pollutants will save about 53,200 lives a year and at the same time boost the economy by about $ 608 billion from avoided medical costs and loss of life.

Nick Myrowks, a graduate student at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said: statement.

“The transition to clean energy sources can bring significant benefits to public health in the short term and mitigate climate change in the long term,” he added.

Mailloux and his colleagues used the Environmental Protection Agency’s model to calculate the health benefits of completely eradicating energy-related emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. They explained that the latter two sets of compounds can form particulate matter when released into the atmosphere.

Analyzing the main sources of these pollutants, the authors found that they died prematurely by reducing the use of residential and commercial fuels such as heating and cooking and the emission of particulate matter from vehicles on the road. I found that I could reduce it to the maximum.

The authors also investigated what would happen if a particular region of the country acted independently to reduce these emissions, and studies show that it is based on regional differences in energy use and population size. We have discovered that the effects can be very different.

On average, they found that just over two-thirds of the health benefits associated with reducing particulate matter emissions remain in areas where reductions have been made. According to the survey, five out of ten regions hold more than three-quarters of the benefits of eliminating particulate matter emissions, and only two hold less than half of the profits.

Studies have shown that the South West region, including Arizona, California, and Nevada, maintains 95% of its profits if it alone chooses to eliminate particulate emissions.

However, in mountainous areas, surveys show that only 32 percent of profits will remain in participating countries.

“This is because there is a large densely populated area downwind of the mountains, which also benefits,” says Mailloux.

Meanwhile, scientists have found that the Great Plains would benefit twice from national efforts than if the region acted alone.

“The more states and regions we can coordinate our emission reduction efforts, the greater the benefits we can offer,” Mailloux added.

Researchers said their findings, which show the short-term rewards of such efforts, hope to motivate more action against climate change.

Jonathan Pass, a senior author of the study and a professor at the Nelson Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, supports the recent call from the United Nations to “transform the world’s energy economy.” Emphasized.

“We hope that our findings will spur decision makers to work on the necessary transitions from fossil fuels and change their mindset from burden to profit,” Path added.