When it comes to fossil fuels, most energy and climate policies focus on carbon emissions. But a new study, led by researchers from the Harvard Healthy Buildings team, Boston University School of Public Health, and Oregon State University College of Engineering, reveals we must pay attention to the immediate health burden of air pollution from energy use as well—an issue especially relevant in the diverse context of the European Union (EU).
Here are three key takeaways from this study:
1. Health impacts must be included in energy and climate policies. In EU countries where fossil fuels dominate electricity generation, like Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece, the air quality-related health burden of electricity consumption can be up to ten times greater than its climate impacts.
2. Health benefits of energy interventions vary dramatically across the EU. The health benefits of sustainable energy strategies can be notably higher in Eastern Europe than in Western Europe because of more reductions in fossil fuel usage. For example, saving the same amount of electricity in Estonia can deliver over 1,000 times more health benefits than in Sweden—a striking disparity that highlights the importance of targeted policies.
3. A new tool to assess the co-benefits of building decarbonization in the EU. This study provides an open-access online tool for building owners, operators, and policymakers to quantify the climate and health co-benefits of sustainable building development in EU countries.
Access the open-access online tool here: https://cobeapp.forhealth.org/home
Read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/add752