U.S. West Coast Droughts and Heat Waves Exacerbate Pollution Inequality and Can Undermine Emission Control Policies

Abstract

Droughts reduce hydropower production and heatwaves increase electricity demand, forcing power system operators to rely more on fossil fuel power plants. However, less is known about how droughts and heat waves impact the county level distribution of health damages from power plant emissions. Using California as a case study, we simulate emissions from power plants under a 500-year synthetic weather ensemble. We find that human health damages are highest in hot, dry years. Communities of color and communities with high pollution burden are disproportionately impacted by increased emissions from power plants during droughts and heat waves. Taxing power plant operations based on each plant’s contribution to health damages significantly reduces average exposure. However, emissions taxes fail to reduce air pollution damages on the worst polluting days, becasuse supply scarcity (caused by severe heat waves) forces system operators to use every power plant available to avoid causing a blackout.

Assessment of Drought Exposure to All-Cause Mortality in the Northern Rockies and Plains of the United States

“…These climatic risk events are associated with an increased risk of hospitalizations and mortality including cardiovascular, respiratory, mental health, renal disease [1][2][3], and continue to adversely affect economic and social development worldwide [4]. Moreover, it occurs concurrently and alters environmental risk factor such as air pollution level, increasing the risk of disease and mortality [5].…”