Study Finds Regional Pact To Reduce Transportation Pollution Could Yield Major Health Benefits
A preliminary analysis of the health impacts of the regional Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) found that the plan that would reduce greenhouse gases the most would also yield the biggest health benefits, helping to avoid about 1,100 deaths and nearly 5,000 asthma cases, and saving $11.1 billion in heath costs in the decade after the initiative kicks in.
The analysis — known as the Transportation, Equity, Climate and Health Study (TRECH) and conducted by researchers at Harvard’s Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, Boston University’s School of Public Health and the University of North Carolina — looked at 5 different policy scenarios that participating states are weighing. The scenarios considered different reduction caps for greenhouse gas emissions, from 20% to 25%, and different ways to invest the proceeds from distributor fees.
The study predicted that the most health benefits would result from a 25% reduction cap in
