02
Oct 2008 - Brussels, Belgium – Health savings
of up to 25 billion euros could be achieved
every year in Europe if the European Union
immediately opted for stronger climate policies,
says a new study published by health and
environment NGOs.
The report, commissioned
by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL),
Climate Action Network Europe (CAN-E) and
WWF, analyses the health benefits brought
about by reduced climate pollution if the
European Union increased without any delay
its 2020 target for domestic greenhouse
gas emission cuts from 20 to 30 per cent.
The findings show that
raising the target to 30% in line with recommendations
of the International Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) would produce savings resulting from
better health valued at between 6.5 and
25 billion euros per year.
The estimates are based
on economic evaluations of loss of life
and health, working days lost and hospital
costs. The findings show reductions in hospital
admissions of 8,000 per year and two million
fewer work days lost per year by moving
to the higher 30% target.
These health savings
are over and above the benefits of the European
Union’s existing scenario of a 20 per cent
target. The report shows that raising the
target to 30 per cent would increase the
savings by 25 billion, or 48%, from 51 to
76 billion euros.
Génon Jensen,
Executive Director of Health and Environment
Alliance (HEAL) says: “Data clearly show
that action to control global warming by
reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas
emissions brings major benefits to health.
This potential alone makes a case for immediately
moving the European target to at least 30
per cent domestic cuts of greenhouse gases
by 2020. The European Union should be showing
leadership on this crucial determinant of
our future.”
The European Commission’s
impact assessment estimated that currently
every year 369,000 people die prematurely
due to air pollution, and that premature
deaths, health care and medication associated
with air pollution amount to 3-9 per cent
of EU Gross Domestic Product.
“Until now the discussion
on climate change has been all about costs
to industry and the economy, while costs
of climate pollution to the society have
largely been neglected”, adds Delia Villagrasa,
Senior Advisor to WWF.
“It is essential to
see that measures to promote cleaner sources
of energy and reduce fossil fuel consumption
will not only contribute to control climate
change but will also cut air pollution and
improve quality of life for European citizens.”
With the current debate
on the “EU climate and energy package”,
a set of measures to cut greenhouse gases
in Europe, the European Union has the opportunity
to lead to way to keep global warming below
2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial
levels. NGOs call on the European Parliament
to be ambitious and lift the bar for a 30
per cent cut of greenhouse gases by 2020.
“The report clearly
demonstrates what scientists, economists,
academics and NGOs have said before: action
on climate change produces win-win-win scenarios.
Tougher targets means a win for the planet,
a win for European citizen’s health and
a win for industry in reducing air pollution
control cost,” stated Tomas Wyns ETS Policy
Officer, Climate Action Network Europe.
Notes to the editors:
• In March 2007 the European Union set the
target of 20 per cent greenhouse gas emissions
reductions by 2020, with the possibility
to increase it to 30 per cent in case of
a global climate agreement.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change has recommended that developed countries
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by
25 to 40% by 2020 in order to keep global
temperatures from increasing more than 2
degrees.
• The European Commission’s impact assessment
including estimated premature deaths due
to air pollution is published in “Baseline
Scenarios for the Clean Air for Europe (CAFE)
Programme Final Report”, LOT 1 Contract
No. B43040/2002/340248/MAR/C1.
• The European Environment Agency (EEA),
World Health Organization (WHO) and Joint
Research Centre of the European Commission
released a report on why Europe needs to
intensify action to adapt to climate change
impacts on 29 September 2008, see http://www.eea.europa.eu/pressroom/newsreleases.
