June 11, 2009: Global warming is well recognized by scientists around the world as a serious and growing public health, air quality and environmental concern. Primarily because of greater consumption of fossil fuels, increased greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere are causing global temperatures to rise. According to the 2007 report on climate change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global temperatures have risen by 1.3ºF over the past century and are likely to rise between 2º and 11.5ºF by the year 2100, depending on efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases include longer-lived gases such as carbon dioxide as well as shorter-lived pollutants that contribute to warming such as methane, black carbon and ozone. Global warming has been linked to extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and storms and will continue to have a wide range of adverse environmental, public health and air quality impacts.
Californians already experience the worst air quality in the nation, with more than 90 percent of residents living in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone or particulate pollution, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Air pollution exposure can lead to asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function, worsening of lung illnesses such as emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer, premature deaths and abnormal lung development in children. According to CARB’s 2009 estimates, the annual health impacts of public exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone and particulate matter in California can be valued at $170 billion and include 19,000 premature deaths, 9,400 hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular disease, 280,000 asthma and other lower respiratory problems, 22,000 cases of acute bronchitis, and millions of school and work days lost because of respiratory conditions each year.
Sensitive groups, including children and infants, the elderly, and people with heart or lung disease, are the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution. Low-income communities and communities of color are also vulnerable due to the multiple pollution sources located in these communities and often limited access to health care. Rising temperatures and other weather conditions that are associated with global warming create the ideal conditions for smog formation, increasing the likelihood of these serious health effects. In addition, global warming leads to increased emissions of smog-forming pollutants, particulate matter and toxic air contaminants from increased energy production, electricity use, fuel evaporation and other sources. The increased frequency and intensity of heat episodes in California from global warming will create additional challenges to protecting residents from poor air quality.
Global Warming and Public Health Positions:
The American Lung Association in California supports aggressive strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with an emphasis on strategies that maximize co-benefits of reducing criteria pollutants and providing rapid public health improvement. To comply with the emission reduction targets of the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32: Nunez, 2006) to reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and the Governor’s Executive Order (S-3-05) to reduce GHG emissions an additional 80 percent by 2050, California must adopt ambitious regulations and measures that impact all sectors of the economy. California must substantially reduce the state’s dependence on fossil fuels and pursue strategies that lead to a conversion of the existing transportation fleet to zero and near-zero emission vehicle technologies and fuels; substantially increase renewable energy resources; transform the state’s land use planning process to emphasize smart growth policies promoting alternatives to driving; significantly reduce industrial emissions of greenhouse gases; and implement other greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies. All measures used to achieve greenhouse gas reductions, including regulatory and market strategies must be designed to maximize near-term health and air quality benefits to local communities. (“Near term” benefits should be achieved in the next five to 10 years.) As California moves forward to fully implement AB 32 and achieve ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals, the American Lung Association in California will focus advocacy on the following key policy areas:
1. Public Health Review of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategies
The American Lung Association in California supports measures to analyze and carefully consider the public health impacts of all regulations and policies developed to reduce GHG emissions in California with assistance from public health experts. In conducting the public health reviews, priority should be given to reviewing the broader mix of measures included in the Scoping Plan and the framework and measures developed to implement market-based mechanisms, as well as specific regulations for the land use, transportation, industrial, energy and other sectors. This analysis will provide a structured opportunity to review the broader public health implications of regulations that includes, but is not confined to, a review of air quality impacts. CARB should utilize standardized and updated cumulative impact assessment tools to evaluate existing and prospective impacts on local communities. A key focus of this review should be to determine the potential air quality effects of regulations and policies on local communities, to develop solutions to mitigate any negative effects, and to offer alternative strategies where necessary to ensure greater public health and air quality protections.
2. Market Mechanisms for Reducing Greenhouse Gases
California plans to implement a cap and trade program beginning in 2012, and may consider other market-based strategies to achieve a portion of greenhouse gas reductions required under AB 32. Any cap and trade program developed in California must meet the requirements of AB 32 to prevent increases in criteria pollutants, complement efforts to achieve and maintain federal and state air quality standards, and avoid any disproportionate impacts on low income communities. In addition, any cap and trade program must include a firm cap on greenhouse gas emissions that declines over time, require purchase of permits to emit greenhouse gases rather than free distribution and include multiple safeguards to ensure that emission reductions achieved are real, permanent, measurable and verifiable. The American Lung Association in California also supports efforts to ensure that a significant portion of any revenues raised through a cap and trade program and/or fees assessed on greenhouse gas reduction sources are directed to assist in mitigation of air pollution emissions in local communities and adaptation of communities to climate change impacts. Local mitigation and adaptation strategies could include energy efficiency improvements, upgraded pollution control equipment, cooling centers and other strategies.
3. Reliance on Offsets to Achieve Reductions under Regulatory or Market-based Programs
California plans to allow sources under the GHG cap in California to purchase some emission reductions from non-regulated sources and to apply those reductions or “offsets” toward their compliance obligation. Offset programs must be carefully designed to ensure emission reductions are real, verifiable, permanent, enforceable and beyond those emission reductions that will be achieved through business as usual. The American Lung Association in California supports efforts to ensure that offset programs include geographic and quantitative limits to limit the reliance of pollution sources on emission reductions from outside the state and to maximize the air quality and health benefits in California.
4. Transportation and Fuels Policies for Reducing Greenhouse Gases
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which accounts for approximately 40 percent of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, is critical to achieving the state’s 2020 and 2050 GHG reduction targets. The CARB and California Energy Commission State Alternative Fuels Plan developed pursuant to AB 1007 states that 70 percent of personal vehicles must be powered by electricity and other lowest carbon fuels rather than traditional petroleum in order to achieve 2050 GHG reduction goals. In order to reach this goal, CARB must not only ensure effective implementation and enforcement of current regulations such as the clean cars program (AB 1493 Pavley, 2002) and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, but must also move forward with additional regulations and incentive programs to transform California’s transportation sector to low and zero-carbon technologies and fuels and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The American Lung Association in California supports efforts to strengthen the Pavley “Clean Cars Regulation,” the Low Emission Vehicle program and the Zero Emission Vehicles program and to maximize the effectiveness of these programs in reaching the state’s air quality and greenhouse gas reduction goals. The American Lung Association also supports the AB 118 (Nunez) program and other efforts to promote the development and deployment of ultra-low carbon transportation fuels including renewable hydrogen and electricity as well as the infrastructure needed to support these fuels.
5. Renewable Energy Policies
California must pursue a more sustainable energy future with substantially increased reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal power in order to reduce GHG emissions and improve air quality. California’s current Renewable Portfolio Standard requires that energy providers reach a target of 20 percent of the state’s energy derived from renewable sources such as solar and wind by the end of 2010. The American Lung Association of California supports legislative efforts to raise this target to a minimum of 33 percent by 2020 to accelerate development of renewable energy choices and the state’s move toward reduced dependence on fossil fuels. The American Lung Association in California also supports other strategies to boost renewable energy sources including increasing transmission capacity for renewable energy, and providing assistance in siting and permitting of renewable energy projects. In promoting renewable energy facilities, the American Lung Association will consider the need to protect sensitive lands.
6. Land Use and Transportation Planning Policies
Land use and transportation planning decisions in California have a major impact on greenhouse gas emissions as well as regional and state-wide air quality. Along with increasing deployment of cleaner fuels and more efficient vehicles, California must reduce both the volume and length of vehicle trips through smarter land use planning. The American Lung Association in California supports strong implementation of SB 375 (Steinberg, 2008) and supports development of ambitious and achievable regional targets (per SB 375) for reduction of GHG emissions as well as strong “sustainable communities strategies” to map out how reductions will be achieved. The American Lung Association supports efforts to increase the statewide GHG reduction target for land use.
The American Lung Association supports efforts to reduce vehicles trips as a key strategy for local governments to make progress toward GHG reduction targets while also reducing criteria pollutants that contribute to regional and statewide air quality problems. Key strategies to achieve VMT reduction include: promoting more compact land uses, including a more sustainable mix of homes, jobs and retail, promoting transit and active transportation options such as walking and biking, and adopting indirect source control regulations to require mitigation of air quality and greenhouse gas emissions generated as a result of new development. As part of promoting smarter growth, local governments should avoid placing residences, hospitals, schools or day care centers in close proximity to major pollution sources such as freeways and large industrial sources.
