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

The document finds that GHG mitigation policies significantly improve air quality by reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. In the EU27, this leads to substantial health gains, including an increase in average life expectancy by one month by 2050 and annual economic co-benefits ranging from €44 billion to €95 billion. The analysis also highlights significant benefits in China and India, where life expectancy gains are estimated at 19 and 30 months respectively by 2050. Additionally, mitigation reduces regulatory abatement costs for businesses and lessens the acidification and eutrophication of ecosystems.

• By 2050, a mitigation scenario consistent with the 2 degrees target results in significant reductions of EU air pollutants compared to the baseline: a 60% reduction in sulphur dioxide (SO2), a 46% reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and a 19% reduction in particulate matter (PM).
• The mitigation scenario is projected to extend the average life expectancy in the EU27 by one month by 2050, which is equivalent to an annual gain of 480,000 years of life.
• In the EU27 by 2050, the mitigation scenario is estimated to reduce ozone-related deaths by 3,400 per year, new cases of chronic bronchitis by 27,000 per year, and hospital admissions by 20,000 per year.
• The annual economic health co-benefits for the EU27 are estimated at €9 billion in 2020, €20 billion in 2030, and €43 billion in 2050, using the value of a life year (VOLY) approach. Using the value of a statistical life (VSL) metric, the 2050 benefits increase to €94 billion per year.
• Air quality co-benefits are estimated at approximately €24 for every tonne of CO2 reduced over the investigated period.
• Mitigation policies reduce the need for regulatory air quality control equipment, leading to estimated avoided abatement costs in the EU27 of €36 billion per year by 2050, primarily in the transport sector.
• The mitigation scenario reduces ecosystem damage in the EU27 by 2050, decreasing the forest area exceeding critical loads for acid deposition by 42 thousand km2 (a 15% reduction) and 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 of 19 months in China and nearly 30 months in India.

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

{{cite report |last1=Holland |first1=Mike |last2=Amann |first2=Markus |last3=Heyes |first3=Chris |last4=Rafaj |first4=Peter |last5=Schöpp |first5=Wolfgang |last6=Hunt |first6=Alistair |last7=Watkiss |first7=Paul |title=The Reduction in Air Quality Impacts and Associated Economic Benefits of Mitigation Policy: Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=December 2011 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-climatecost-ancillary-air-quality-benefits.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

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} }