The Reduction in Air Quality Impacts and Associated Economic Benefits of Mitigation Policy: Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project

This technical policy briefing summarizes results from the EC RTD ClimateCost project regarding the ancillary air quality and economic benefits of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation policies. Using the GAINS and ALPHA models, the study compares a baseline scenario with a mitigation scenario aligned with the European Commission's 2 degrees target, focusing primarily on the EU27 with additional analysis for China and India.

• Mitigation policies aligned with a 2 degrees target lead to substantial reductions in EU air pollutant emissions by 2050 compared to a baseline scenario, specifically a 60% reduction in sulphur dioxide (SO2), a 46% reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and a 19% reduction in particulate matter (PM).
• By 2050, the mitigation scenario is projected to extend average life expectancy in the EU27 by 1 month compared to the baseline, which is equivalent to an annual benefit of 480,000 years of life gained.
• The mitigation scenario reduces annual health burdens in the EU27 by 2050, including 3,400 fewer ozone-related fatalities, 27,000 fewer new cases of chronic bronchitis, 20,000 fewer hospital admissions, and 127 million fewer minor symptom days.
• Economic health co-benefits for the EU27 are estimated to rise from €9 billion per year in 2020 to €43 billion per year by 2050 using the value of life years lost (VOLY) approach. Using the value of a statistical life (VSL) metric, these benefits increase to €94 billion per year by 2050.
• The air quality co-benefits of the mitigation scenario are estimated at approximately €24 for every tonne of CO2 reduced over the investigated period.
• Mitigation policies reduce the need for regulatory air quality equipment and measures, resulting in avoided abatement costs in the EU27 estimated at €36 billion per year by 2050, primarily within the transport sector for NOx and PM control.
• The mitigation scenario provides significant ecosystem benefits in the EU27 by 2050, reducing the forest area exceeding critical loads for acid deposition by 42 thousand km2 (a 15% reduction) and reducing the area exceeding critical loads for nitrogen deposition and eutrophication by 144 thousand km2.
• Global mitigation policies would yield even larger health benefits in China and India by 2050 compared to the baseline, with average life expectancy gains estimated at 19 months in China and nearly 30 months in India, and a combined reduction of over 75,000 ozone-related deaths per year.

APA

Holland, M., Amann, M., Heyes, C., Rafaj, P., Schöpp, W., Hunt, A., & Watkiss, P. (2011). The Reduction in Air Quality Impacts and Associated Economic Benefits of Mitigation Policy: Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-climatecost-ancillary-air-quality-benefits.pdf

Chicago

Holland, Mike, Markus Amann, Chris Heyes, Peter Rafaj, Wolfgang Schöpp, Alistair Hunt, and Paul Watkiss. The Reduction in Air Quality Impacts and Associated Economic Benefits of Mitigation Policy: Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2011. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-climatecost-ancillary-air-quality-benefits.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{holland2011reduction, author = {Holland, Mike and Amann, Markus and Heyes, Chris and Rafaj, Peter and Schöpp, Wolfgang and Hunt, Alistair and Watkiss, Paul}, title = {{The Reduction in Air Quality Impacts and Associated Economic Benefits of Mitigation Policy: Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-climatecost-ancillary-air-quality-benefits.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }