Public health benefits of zero-emission electric power generation in Virginia
Luis E. Ortiz,
Reilly Stiles,
Sophia Whitaker,
Edward Maibach,
James Kinter,
Lucas Henneman,
Jenna Krall,
Paul Bubbosh,
Benjamin Cash
Affiliations
Luis E. Ortiz
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Center for Ocean, Land and Atmosphere Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Corresponding author. Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Reilly Stiles
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Sophia Whitaker
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Edward Maibach
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
James Kinter
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Center for Ocean, Land and Atmosphere Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Lucas Henneman
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Department of Civil, Environmental And Infrastructure Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Jenna Krall
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Paul Bubbosh
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Benjamin Cash
Virginia Climate Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; Center for Ocean, Land and Atmosphere Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Curbing the worst impacts of global climate change will require rapidly transitioning away from fossil fuel across all sectors of the economy. This transition will also yield substantial co-benefits, as fossil fuel combustion releases harmful pollutants into the air. In this article, we present an analysis of the co-benefits to health and health-care costs related from decarbonization of the power sector, using the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) as a case study. Using a model that combines a source-response matrix approach to pollutant concentration modelling tied to health impact functions, our analysis shows that, by 2045, the VCEA will save up to 32 lives per year across the state, and avoid up to $355 million per year in health-related costs. Fossil-fuel free generation will also help the most disadvantaged communities, as counties in the highest poverty rate quintile also avoid the most pollutant-related deaths.
