Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit News

According to a study sponsored by the American Lung Association of California, $142 billion in human health and global warming reduction benefits would result from converting the entire California motor vehicle fleet from gasoline vehicles to zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technologies in the 2010-2030 time frame, or $96 billion more than relying on the lowest emitting gasoline technologies. The $142 billion figure includes $38 billion in benefits to society from reduced global warming emissions.

The study, conducted by TIAX LLC, a consulting firm specializing in transportation and alternative fuels research, also found that California can avoid at least $2.2 billion per year in health costs from reduction of dangerous particulate matter by converting the motor vehicle fleet to ZEVs instead of relying on the lowest emitting gasoline technologies. This reduction in particulates means that California would annually avoid 300 cases of premature death, over 260 cases of chronic bronchitis, over 7,000 asthma attacks and more than 18,000 cases of upper and lower respiratory symptoms by moving to ZEV technology.
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According to the American Lung Association of California’s study, approximately 110 million tons of greenhouse gases per year could be avoided if all California vehicles were replaced with ZEVs by 2030. This would make significant progress toward the transportation sector’s portion of the state goal for reducing greenhouse gases by 2050.

The study also addressed the current costs of gasoline motor vehicle use:
– The total cost to public health and society of the existing motor vehicle fleet is over $10 billion in 2010, and this cost only drops to approximately $7 billion over the 20-year time frame of the study with normal fleet turnover.
– The existing motor vehicle fleet generates health costs in terms of hospitalizations, premature deaths and illnesses that add up to over $7.4 billion per year (2010), including $4.4 billion per year linked to one pollutant, nitrogen oxide (NOx).
- The total greenhouse gas (well-to-wheel) emissions from the existing motor vehicle fleet are 150 million tons per year, and drop only to 140 million tons per year in 2030 through existing programs and vehicle turnover. This is far from the total reduction that is needed to meet California’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Written by The Naib
The Seitch Blog www.blog.thesietch.org
http://www.blog.thesietch.org/2008/03/22/electric-cars-could-save-142-billion-dollars-in-heath-care-costs-and-reduced-global-warming/

See also
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/03-20-2008/0004777862&EDATE=THU+Mar+20+2008,+12:15+PM
http://www.californialung.org/