The author of the report, Will Barrett, a senior director of the association, said: “Air pollution and climate change are putting children at risk“. Interestingly, “the impact of climate change continues to increase and that will only increase the risks that children in the US face as they grow up”.
The report identifies that children’s lives could be much healthier if all new car buyers choose non-emitting options by 2035; use zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles like buses, ambulances, and trucks by 2040 and switch the national grid to clean and renewable energy by 2035.
Electric cars help reduce emissions and protect the environment better
This latest report estimates that by 2050, transitioning to zero-emission vehicles and carbon-free power grids will mean reducing: 2.79 million cases of childhood asthma; reducing 147,000 acute bronchitis cases; reducing 2.67 million cases of respiratory symptoms in adults and fewer than 1.87 million cases of respiratory symptoms in children. In particular, 508 infants will be saved.
This research builds on a larger report by the American Lung Association that says strong zero-emission policies will generate over $1.2 trillion in health benefits for the US by 2050.
Transportation is one of the largest sources of carbon pollution in the country, accounting for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to US government data, followed by electricity production at 25%.
According to calculations by the US Department of Energy, electric vehicles produce 3,932 pounds of carbon (about 1.8kg) per year, compared to 11,435 pounds (5.1kg) for gasoline-powered vehicles.
Children are the most vulnerable to the harms of environmental pollution – Image: TTXVN
Dangerous pollution is worse for children because their bodies are still developing. Specifically, children tend to breathe in more air than adults because their breathing is faster, resulting in more pollution for their lungs and bodies. The new report shows that children also tend to spend more time outdoors – in air that is more likely to be polluted than adults.
Notably, pollution can harm a child’s health even before birth. Studies show that exposure to hazardous environments can cause premature birth or low birth weight.
Preterm infants may experience serious health problems at birth and throughout life. Babies are at increased risk for respiratory symptoms such as breathing difficulty, or problems with the heart, digestion, challenges to the immune system, and cognitive problems.
Even when a child is born full term, exposure to pollution can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Research also shows that exposure is associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, and even suicide in both children and adults.
Dr. Daniel Horton, an assistant professor specializing in Earth and planetary sciences at Northwestern, has published a number of articles suggesting that billions of dollars could be saved and hundreds of lives could be saved even if only a few people switch to electric vehicles.
“Anything we can do to reduce emissions from transportation will benefit addressing air quality and climate change issues”, Dr. Daniel Horton said.
Replacing 30% of the total traffic vehicles in the Chicago area with electric vehicles would save over 1,000 lives
For example, a study in 2023 simulated the level of air quality in the vicinity at the regional level, and showed that replacing 30% of total traffic vehicles in the Chicago area with electric versions would save over 1,000 lives and over $10 billion per year due to fewer deaths related to environmental pollution.
Another study focused on replacing 30% of heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks and school buses in the Chicago area with electric models would save over 500 lives and about $5 billion per year in health benefits.
The American Lung Association is currently urging the government to establish the strongest possible pollution standards.
Report author Will Barrett said: “We want to ensure that those policies are refined quickly by the authorities to effectively address the pollution from these harmful sources”.
According to CNN
