Impact of climate change on ozone-related mortality and morbidity in Europe

Orru, Hans; Andersson, Camilla; Ebi, Kristie L.; Langner, Joakim; Åström, Christofer; Forsberg, Bertil

doi:10.1183/09031936.00210411

Cited by 108 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Some air pollution-related episodes of rhinitis and asthma exacerbation are due to climatic factors that favour the accumulation of air pollutants, such as ozone, at ground level and some cities are continuously affected by air pollution caused by motor vehicles, including particulate matter and nitrous oxides [40,41]. Comparing the current situation (1990-2009) with the baseline period , the largest increase in ozoneassociated mortality and morbidity due to climate change (4-5%) occurred in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK [42]. Exposure to outdoor particulate matter influenced by climate change has been associated with respiratory symptoms, decreased lung function, worsening of asthma and the development of chronic bronchitis [43].…”

Section: Pollen and Mould Allergymentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and respiratory diseases

D’Amato

Cecchi²,

D’Amato³

et al. 2014

European Respiratory Review

231

108

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@ERSpublications Climate change represents a threat to respiratory health by acting on respiratory diseases or their risk factors http://ow.ly/v6JElChanges in climate constitute a reality that, according to recent projections, is going to worsen in the coming years. Climate change represents a massive threat to respiratory health: 1) by directly promoting or aggravating respiratory diseases; or 2) by increasing exposure to risk factors for respiratory diseases. Climate change increases the amount of pollen and allergen produced by each plant, mould proliferation and the concentrations of outdoor ozone and particulate matter at ground level. The main diseases of concern are asthma, rhinosinusitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and respiratory tract infections. Groups at higher risk of climate change effects include individuals with pre-existing cardiopulmonary diseases or disadvantaged individuals. Adaptation and mitigation measures are strongly needed.It is now widely accepted that the earth's temperature is increasing, as confirmed by warming of the oceans, rising sea levels, glaciers melting, sea ice retreating in the Arctic and diminished snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere. Moreover, changes are also occurring in the amount, intensity, frequency and type of precipitation, as well as the increase of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, floods and hurricanes [1][2][3]. Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is probably due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas (namely carbon dioxide, methane and the nitrous oxides) concentrations [1]. Projections of future greenhouse gas emissions indicate a worsening of the situation with between a 1.1 and 6.4uC increase in the mean temperature by the end of the 21st century [1].Climate change represents a massive direct threat to respiratory health by promoting or aggravating respiratory diseases or indirectly by increasing exposure to risk factors for respiratory diseases [4]. Climate affects weather, air and water quality, local and national food supplies, economics and many other critical health determinants. Observational evidence indicates that regional changes in climate, particularly temperature increases, affect a diverse set of physical and biological systems in many parts of the world [1, 2], some of which are of concern for respiratory health. A rapid rise has been observed in the number of hot days, such as the 2003 heat wave where temperatures of o35uC were reached resulting in ,40 000 excess deaths across Europe, mostly for cardiopulmonary causes [5,6]. Sea levels have also started to rise as an effect of a regression of the polar ice packs. Both heat waves and melting ice have led to water deprivation in certain

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Section: Pollen and Mould Allergymentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and respiratory diseases

D’Amato

Cecchi²,

D’Amato³

et al. 2014

European Respiratory Review

231

108

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Despite the highly complex nature of estimating O 3 health effects (4), O 3 has been linked to increased mortality in humans (4)(5)(6)(7), with an estimated annual death toll of 28,000 in Europe (8) and 152,000 [95% confidence interval (CI): 52,000-276,000] globally (9), and to reduced worker productivity (10) and increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease (7,9). In Europe, an estimated 39,000 respiratory hospital admissions per year are attributed to O 3 concentrations above 35 ppb (8).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Europe, an estimated 39,000 respiratory hospital admissions per year are attributed to O 3 concentrations above 35 ppb (8). In the United States, an estimated 10.7 (90% CI: 5.5-15.8) million acute respiratory symptoms; 5,300 (90% CI: 0-11,900) respiratory emergency room visits; 4,100 (90% CI: 1,100-7,900) respiratory hospital admissions; and 3.7 (90% CI: 1.6-5.9) million school loss days could have been avoided per year on average during [2005][2006][2007] if O 3 concentrations in those years had been reduced such that their 8-h averages would not have exceeded 60 ppb anywhere (11).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reforestation as a novel abatement and compliance measure for ground-level ozone

Kroeger

Escobedo

Hernandez³

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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High ambient ozone (O 3 ) concentrations are a widespread and persistent problem globally. Although studies have documented the role of forests in removing O 3 and one of its precursors, nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), the cost effectiveness of using peri-urban reforestation for O 3 abatement purposes has not been examined. We develop a methodology that uses available air quality and meteorological data and simplified forest structure growth-mortality and dry deposition models to assess the performance of reforestation for O 3 precursor abatement. We apply this methodology to identify the cost-effective design for a hypothetical 405-ha, peri-urban reforestation project in the Houston-GalvestonBrazoria O 3 nonattainment area in Texas. The project would remove an estimated 310 tons of (t) O 3 and 58 t NO 2 total over 30 y. Given its location in a nitrogen oxide (NO x )-limited area, and using the range of Houston area O 3 production efficiencies to convert forest O 3 removal to its NO x equivalent, this is equivalent to 127-209 t of the regulated NO x . The cost of reforestation per ton of NO x abated compares favorably to that of additional conventional controls if no land costs are incurred, especially if carbon offsets are generated. Purchasing agricultural lands for reforestation removes this cost advantage, but this problem could be overcome through cost-share opportunities that exist due to the public and conservation benefits of reforestation. Our findings suggest that peri-urban reforestation should be considered in O 3 control efforts in Houston, other US nonattainment areas, and areas with O 3 pollution problems in other countries, wherever O 3 formation is predominantly NO x limited.air pollution | ecosystem services | natural infrastructure | state implementation plan

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“…It was first included in the convention by the Sofia protocol on nitrogen oxides (UNECE 1988), its regulation was taken a step further in the Geneva protocol on Volatile Organic Compounds (UNECE 1991), and with the multipollutant/multieffect protocol (signed in Gothenburg in 1999), ground-level ozone emissions were established as one of three environmental targets addressed by the Convention. Currently, ground-level ozone is considered the most significant toxic gaseous pollutant in terms of direct effects on vegetation in Europe (Orru et al 2012). …”

Section: Representing and Regulating Ground-level Ozonementioning

confidence: 99%

Representing and regulating nature: boundary organisations, portable representations, and the science–policy interface

Lidskog

2014

Environmental Politics

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The interaction between science and policy in transboundary environmental regulation is dynamic. By elaborating on the concepts of boundary organisations and portable representations, I shed light on how science-based policy and policy-relevant science are co-produced. This perspective is then put to use in an analysis of the scientific representation and political regulation of two different environmental issues: ground-level ozone and biodiversity. Portable representations function as a link between experts and policymakers. By means of portable representations, nature is not only measured and represented but also made governable. Portable representations seemed to strengthen the credibility of both scientific assessments and policy. Science makes itself matter by formally separating itself from policy considerations, although the two are at the same time integrated through portable representations from boundary organisations.

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Impact of climate change on ozone-related mortality and morbidity in Europe

Cited by 108 publications

References 48 publications

Climate change and respiratory diseases

Climate change and respiratory diseases

Reforestation as a novel abatement and compliance measure for ground-level ozone

Representing and regulating nature: boundary organisations, portable representations, and the science–policy interface

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