Abstract
Few challenges pose a greater threat to a healthy planet and people than air pollution and climate change. Over the past three decades, research has demonstrated that integrated solutions to air pollution and climate change can yield co-benefits that support cost-effective, coherent policies. However, research on co-benefits has yet to generate policy responses consistent with this promise. This paper argues that realizing this potential requires more rigorous research on how governance affects the opportunities and incentives to align the interests of government agencies, scientists, and other stakeholders at multiple levels. The article proposes a “One Atmosphere approach” consisting of three building blocks to strengthen that alignment: (1) continually incorporating and strategically timing the introduction of integrated visions; (2) reforming governance arrangements to encourage interagency collaboration and multi-stakeholder cooperation; and (3) supporting integrated visions and institutional cooperation with standardized metrics and assessment methods. This article is also the introduction to the Special Issue ‘One Atmosphere: Integrating Air Pollution and Climate Policy and Governance’, aimed at fostering the multidisciplinary dialogue needed for more integrated air pollution and climate change policies.
Highlights
Even as COVID-19 forced economies and lives to close down over the past year, it opened eyes to some of the environmental benefits of disruptive economic and lifestyle changes
Among the positive disruptions that the pandemic made most clear were the sharp reductions in greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollution many countries and cities experienced during the lockdowns [1,2]
This potential, in part, reflects the fact that fossil fuel combustion contributes to the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) responsible for warming as well as air pollution
Summary
Even as COVID-19 forced economies and lives to close down over the past year, it opened eyes to some of the environmental benefits of disruptive economic and lifestyle changes. Maximizing the co-benefits from actions that mitigate climate change and achieve other development priorities can allay the cost concerns that often discourage policymakers from acting on climate change—and, to a lesser extent, air pollution The recognition of this potential has influenced the language of and provisions in numerous policy frameworks and initiatives. Part of the reason for this disconnect is that much of the co-benefits research concentrates on modelling how much different mitigation measures generate benefits and/or trade-offs for/with climate change, air pollution, health, and other development concerns [7,8] Such studies recommend that governments adopt policies promoting technological and behavioral changes capable of maximizing estimated benefits. The article details how three previously mentioned governance building blocks could help policymakers leverage integrated solutions and work toward a One Atmosphere approach in diverse contexts
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