Monetary Health Co-Benefits and GHG Emissions Reduction Benefits: Contribution from Private On-the-Road Transport.

Je-Liang Liou,Pei-Ing Wu

doi:10.3390/ijerph18115537

Abstract

This is the first study to provide a systematic monetary benefit matrix, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction benefits and air pollution reduction health co-benefits, for a change in on-the-road transport to low-carbon types. The benefit transfer method is employed to estimate the social cost of carbon and the health co-benefits via impact pathway analysis in Taiwan. Specifically, the total emissions reduction benefits from changing all internal combustion vehicles to either hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or electric vehicles would generate an average of USD 760 million from GHG emissions reduction and USD 2091 million from health co-benefits based on air pollution reduction, for a total benefit of USD 2851 million annually. For a change from combustion scooters to light- or heavy-duty electric scooters, the average GHG emissions reduction benefits would be USD 96.02 million, and the health co-benefits from air pollution reduction would be USD 1008.83 million, for total benefits of USD 1104.85 million annually.

Highlights

The Center for Green Economy, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; Department of Agricultural Economics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Different response measures for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, such as a carbon tax, emissions trading schemes, subsidies, performance standards, energy efficiency improvement, or carbon capture, etc., by switching all economic activities to low-carbon types have been developed to reduce the impact of climate change on humans, and different approaches are being adopted in many countries
The results systematically show that the change from an ICEV vehicle to any electric vehicle (PHEV, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), or electric vehicles (EVs)) produces the greatest emissions reduction benefits and health co-benefits

Summary

Introduction

The Center for Green Economy, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; Department of Agricultural Economics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan This is the first study to provide a systematic monetary benefit matrix, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction benefits and air pollution reduction health co-benefits, for a change in on-the-road transport to low-carbon types. Different mitigation mechanisms for controlling GHG emissions will reduce global GHG emissions and eliminate local air pollution and positively impact human health [4]. The benefits from the concurrent elimination of local air pollution and the reduction in GHG emissions are termed co-benefits This term first appeared in the third assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to indicate the benefits beyond those of GHG emissions reduction arising from the implementation of any mechanism for such reduction [4]. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations

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