Effects of Local Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategies on Air Pollutant Emissions and on Health in Kuopio, Finland

Abstract

Implementation of greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement strategies often ends up as the responsibility of municipal action rather than national policies. Impacts of local GHG reduction measures were investigated in the EU FP7 funded project Urban Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China and Europe (URGENCHE). Kuopio in Finland was one of the case study cities. The assessed reduction measures were (1) increased use of biomass in local heat and power cogeneration plant, (2) energy efficiency improvements of residences, (3) increased biofuel use in traffic, and (4) increased small scale combustion of wood for residential heating. Impact assessment compared the 2010 baseline with a 2020 BAU (business as usual) scenario and a 2020 CO 2 interventions scenario. Changes in emissions were assessed for CO 2 , particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ), NO x , and SO 2 , and respective impacts were assessed for PM 2.5 ambient concentrations and health effects. The assessed measures would reduce the local CO 2 emissions in the Kuopio urban area by over 50% and local emissions of PM 2.5 would clearly decrease. However, the annual average ambient PM 2.5 concentration would decrease by just 4%. Thus, only marginal population level health benefits would be achieved with these assumed local CO 2 abatement actions.

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“…Air-quality benefits of multiple emission-control measures fail to add up as the sum of benefits gained by the respective single emission-control measures [29]. At Kuopio,Finland (112,158 inhabitants,62.8980N,27.6782E), increased use of biofuels in traffic, local heat and power plants, increased residential wood heating, and improved energy efficiency of residences could reduce annual mean PM 2.5 concentrations by 4% [30].…”

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“…A majority of these cities are known to accommodate a dense population that consumes large amounts of energy and requires extensive transportation networks to accommodate cities' emerging needs. The highest value of anthropogenic heat flux (of 493 Wm -2 ) was recorded within the Hong Kong metropolitan area for the year 2013, for an individual cell of a global model with a spatial resolution of 30 arc-seconds (1 km) and a temporal resolution of 1 h. Further environmental problems associated with higher anthropogenic heat emissions are the elevated concentrations of air pollutants and atmospheric CO 2 , which have immediate consequences for human health, thermal comfort, and well-being [11,12]. Such large concentrations of air pollutants and CO 2 substantially influence air quality, and are found…”

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“…They demonstrate significant health and environmental co-benefits from the implementation of such measures for a city in the UK. In contrast, Asikainen et al [13] demonstrate that policies that are intended to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions may have unintended impacts on local air quality. They show that mitigation by the transition to alternative fuels and energy sources, energy conservation, and land use modification may have significantly different outcomes for human health and wellbeing.…”

“…reported, in Kuopio (Finland) [13] and Auckland (New Zealand) where Dirks et al [14] demonstrate the relation between daily mortality and local traffic-related air pollutants.…”

“…Effective urban growth and regeneration planning, which pays attention to the creation of more sustainable transportation options and building climate control measures, is required to maintain and improve public health in cities. Efforts need to target reduced emissions through the promotion of active modes of transport and home heating/cooling measures [13,20]. The provision of less polluted [19] and less noisy outdoor spaces, which promote exercise and wellbeing, will ultimately reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases [11,12].…”