Time to Act: To Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants

15 Benefits for Public Health

Global implementation of the 16 BC control measures would substantially improve air quality and could avoid approximately 2.4 (0.7–4.6) million outdoor air pollution- related premature deaths annually, and have an even larger impact on reduced chronic morbidity beginning in 2030 (UNEP & WMO 2011; Shindell D. et al . 2012). These measures would also deliver significant additional health benefits from reduced

indoor pollution, and smaller benefits could also be achieved from reduced O 3 pollution, including from CH 4 measures. The most substantial benefits will be felt immediately in or close to the region of implementation, with the greatest health benefits expected in Asia, both in number of lives saved, and in terms of quality of life and avoided chronic diseases.

Improved cookstoves would deliver the greatest benefits in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by measures targeting the transport sector. Replacing domestic wood-burning technologies with pellet stoves would bring the largest benefits in North America and Europe, while the ban of open burning of agricultural waste would also bring important health gains in all regions (UNEP & WMO 2011).

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