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The report evaluates the human health impacts of reducing sulphur in marine fuels, comparing a 'no action' scenario with two control options: a 0.1% sulphur limit within 200 nautical miles of coastlines and a global 0.5% sulphur limit. It estimates that these controls could reduce global premature mortality from international shipping by 50-60% by 2012, saving between 41,500 and 50,000 lives annually. Using US EPA cost methodology, the Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) values these societal benefits at approximately $225 to $275 billion per year.

The Foundation Course on Air Quality Management in Asia is a six-module educational program for adult learners aimed at improving urban air quality. The document provides an overview of the course's goals and a comprehensive glossary of technical terms related to atmospheric chemistry, health effects, and regulatory standards. It highlights the severe impact of urban air pollution in Asia, noting it causes an estimated 537,000 premature deaths annually, with indoor air pollution causing more than double that amount.

The document details the methodology for creating emissions inventories using top-down and bottom-up approaches, categorizes pollution sources into stationary, area, mobile, and natural, and evaluates various technical control devices and policy strategies to reduce air pollution in urban Asian environments.

The document serves as the first module of a foundation course on air quality management in Asia. It examines the primary drivers of urban air pollution, including fuel combustion from stationary sources and the significant impact of road traffic, particularly motorcycles and old diesel vehicles. It distinguishes between ambient, indoor, and transboundary air pollution, highlighting the severe health impacts of particulate matter (PM2.5) and the role of greenhouse gases in climate change. The text also assesses the air quality management (AQM) capabilities of 20 Asian cities, categorizing them from 'excellent' to 'limited'.

The document serves as a training module on air quality modelling, detailing the use of dispersion models to estimate pollutant concentrations and the application of receptor models for source apportionment. It emphasizes the critical role of meteorological data—including wind, turbulence, and mixing height—and describes various modelling approaches from simple box models to complex Eulerian grids. Additionally, it highlights Nuclear Analytical Techniques (NATs) such as Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) and Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) for identifying particulate matter sources in Asian cities.

The document outlines the essential components of air quality monitoring, from initial network design and site selection to equipment choice and data interpretation. It emphasizes the need for a structured approach to monitoring to support policy decisions and public health protection, particularly in developing countries.

The document is Module 5 of the Foundation Course on Air Quality Management in Asia, focusing on the impacts of common air pollutants. It details the health effects of particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, and lead, while explaining exposure assessment and epidemiological study designs. The text also covers the economic valuation of health outcomes, the management of indoor air pollution—particularly from biomass fuels in developing countries—and the environmental effects of pollution on visibility, materials, and vegetation. Additionally, it discusses the Global Burden of Disease approach and the indirect health risks associated with climate change.

The document argues for the adoption of strict NOx emission standards for ships to protect human health and the environment, proposing a two-tier reduction schedule by 2011 and 2015. It highlights that ocean-going ships contribute 15% to 30% of global NOx emissions and suggests that port States be allowed to deny entry or charge fees to ships that fail to comply with these standards.

The document presents findings from the 'Corbett and Winebrake Study', which estimates that particulate matter (PM) from ocean-going ships caused approximately 60,000 premature deaths globally in 2002. The study indicates that these deaths are expected to increase by 40% by 2012 (or 2020 in some case analyses) due to growth in shipping traffic. Regional analysis shows that Europe and the Mediterranean, East Asia, and South Asia are the most heavily impacted areas. The document argues that the societal cost of these deaths exceeds $300 billion annually based on US EPA valuations, far outweighing the costs of emission reductions. Consequently, it urges the IMO Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases to recommend stringent emission limits for the amended MARPOL Annex VI.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) conducted monitoring in Austin, Boston, New York City, and Columbus to assess diesel exhaust exposure during commutes. The study found that commuters in cars, buses, and trains are exposed to diesel particle levels significantly higher than ambient outdoor air, with the highest concentrations occurring in the presence of heavy truck traffic or when trains are pulled by locomotives. The report highlights that while commuting accounts for only about 6% of a person's day, it may contribute over half of their daily exposure to ultrafine particles. To mitigate these risks, the report recommends retrofitting existing diesel engines with diesel particulate filters (DPFs), which can reduce particle emissions by up to 90%.

The document summarizes recent emissions inventories and health studies to demonstrate that shipping emissions are growing rapidly and significantly impacting human health. It highlights a global inventory projecting a 4.1% annual growth in emissions through 2040 and a North American inventory projecting 5.9% annual growth. The text argues that current and proposed IMO regulations are insufficient to offset this growth and calls for steep, fleet-wide reductions. Additionally, it cites California Air Resources Board (CARB) data showing that premature deaths attributed to ocean-going ships in California are predicted to more than double by 2020.

The document advocates for the adoption of strict international emission standards for both new and existing ship engines to mitigate health and environmental impacts. It proposes specific reduction targets for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx) by 2010 and 2015, suggests lowering the worldwide sulphur content limit for marine fuel, and calls for the establishment of particulate matter (PM) standards by January 1, 2009.

The report develops a high-resolution global inventory of ship emissions (SOx, NOx, PM, and black carbon) using power-weighted ICOADS data. It argues that a business-as-usual (BAU) growth rate of 4.1% per year, driven by trade globalization and containerization, will likely offset current IMO emission control measures. The authors conclude that fleetwide reductions of at least 60% would be required within two decades to maintain 2002 pollution levels.

The document advocates for substantial reductions in shipping emissions to protect public health and the environment, arguing that cost-effective technologies already exist. It proposes that NOx and SOx emissions be reduced by 70-90% for new and existing ships by 2015, with interim NOx reductions of 40-50% by 2010. The authors highlight a significant gap between strict land-based emission standards in the US and EU and the much higher limits currently set by the IMO, noting that shipping emissions in European waters are projected to exceed all land-based European emissions within a decade.

Buildings account for 40% of total annual U.S. energy consumption and 48% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. federal government operates over 500,000 buildings, which used 1.7 quads of energy in 2004, though the Federal Energy Management Program predicts a funding shortfall of over $2 billion for energy-efficiency projects. The document also highlights several high-performance buildings in the U.S. and Europe that achieved significant energy and water savings through sustainable technologies.

The Clean Air Task Force argues that the EPA's proposed particulate matter (PM2.5) standards fail to provide an adequate margin of safety, potentially resulting in 10,000 more avoidable deaths per year than a more stringent 12 ug/m3 annual standard. The testimony asserts that protective standards are achievable through affordable technologies, specifically targeting sulfur dioxide (SO2) from power plants and carbon emissions from diesel fleets. It criticizes the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) for providing reductions that are "too little, too late" and for creating regulatory barriers that discourage states from pursuing additional cost-effective power plant reductions. The document advocates for a national SO2 cap of 2 million tons per year and the full funding of the Diesel Emission Reduction Act of 2005 to facilitate the retrofit of existing diesel engines.

The 2006 School Bus Pollution Report Card by the Union of Concerned Scientists finds that U.S. school buses are among the oldest vehicles on the road, with an average age of nine years, and emit nearly twice as much soot per mile as tractor-trailer trucks. The report grades states on tailpipe soot emissions, smog-forming pollution, and the success of their cleanup programs. While some states like California and Washington have made significant strides in reducing soot through retrofits and cleaner fuels, national soot pollution from school buses has only decreased by more than two percent. The document highlights the vulnerability of children to diesel exhaust, which is linked to asthma and lung growth deficits, and argues that substantial federal and state investment is needed for bus replacement and the installation of particulate traps.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) defends its analysis of diesel health impacts against accusations of "junk science" by Jones Day. CATF asserts that its methodology is based on EPA-approved standards and widely accepted epidemiological research, estimating that a national diesel retrofit program could avoid approximately 91,000 deaths between 2005 and 2030.

The document reports that engine crankcase emissions are the primary source of PM2.5 mass in conventional school bus cabins, while the tailpipe is the main source of ultrafine particles, black carbon, and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Research across four US cities indicates that while diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) reduce ultrafines and black carbon to ambient levels, they do not significantly reduce PM2.5. The installation of a closed-crankcase filtration device, specifically the Donaldson Spiracle™, was found to be critical and necessary to reduce cabin PM2.5 levels to near ambient levels across all tested bus and fuel combinations.

The document advocates for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to strengthen MARPOL Annex VI by introducing rigorous limits on nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx), and particulate matter (PM) for all ships. It provides evidence that current shipping emissions are under-regulated and cause significant public health and environmental damage, while asserting that advanced control technologies—such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and humid air motors (HAM)—make substantial reductions feasible and cost-effective. The submission highlights regional regulatory trends in the European Union and California as precursors to the need for a consistent global standard and urges the adoption of shore-side power standardization.