Climate Change and Your Health

The report analyzes the relationship between rising temperatures and ground-level ozone formation, projecting that climate change will increase ozone concentrations and exacerbate respiratory health issues. Using the EPA's BenMAP model, the authors estimate that by 2020, the 'climate penalty' could result in 2.8 million additional acute respiratory symptoms and $5.4 billion in health costs. By 2050, these impacts are projected to rise significantly, with 11.8 million additional respiratory symptom occurrences. The report emphasizes that while precursor emissions are declining, warming temperatures may offset these gains, particularly in California, the Midwest, and the Mid-Atlantic.

• Rising temperatures create a 'climate penalty on ozone,' where higher temperatures increase ground-level ozone concentrations even if emissions of precursor pollutants like NOx and VOCs remain constant.
• By 2020, the climate penalty on ozone is estimated to cause an average of 2.8 million additional occurrences of acute respiratory symptoms, such as asthma attacks, coughing, and chest tightness. This number is projected to increase to 11.8 million by 2050.
• The economic cost of health impacts associated with the climate penalty on ozone in the United States is projected to average $5.4 billion in 2020 (in 2008 dollars).
• Climate-induced ozone increases are projected to lead to an average of 944,000 more missed school days in 2020, rising to 4.1 million additional missed days by 2050.
• Hospitalizations for respiratory-related problems are expected to increase due to the climate penalty, with an average of 3,700 more seniors and 1,400 more infants in 2020, increasing to 24,000 seniors and 5,700 infants by 2050.
• California, the Midwest, and the Mid-Atlantic are identified as regions that could be hit especially hard, with California projected to experience the highest health impacts, estimated at $729 million in 2020.
• The report argues that current EPA ozone standards are too weak to protect public health, noting that an independent scientific advisory panel recommended a range of 60 to 70 ppb, while the WHO recommends 50 ppb, compared to the 2008 EPA standard of 75 ppb.
• Warming temperatures may erode the benefits of the Clean Air Act, potentially reducing the projected 2020 ozone-reduction benefits by between 3 percent and 7 percent.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2011). Climate Change and Your Health. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-and-ozone-pollution.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Climate Change and Your Health. 2011. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-and-ozone-pollution.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Climate Change and Your Health |date=June 2011 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-and-ozone-pollution.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2011climate, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Climate Change and Your Health}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2011}, month = jun, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-and-ozone-pollution.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }