An Analysis of Costs and Health Co-Benefits for a U.S. Power Plant Carbon Standard.
Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants can have important "co-benefits" for public health by reducing emissions of air pollutants. Here, we examine the costs and health co-benefits, in monetary terms, for a policy that resembles the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan. We then examine the spatial distribution of the co-benefits and costs, and the implications of a range of cost assumptions in the implementation year of 2020. Nationwide, the total health co-benefits were $29 billion 2010 USD (95% CI: $2.3 to $68 billion), and net co-benefits under our central cost case were $12 billion (95% CI: -$15 billion to $51 billion). Net co-benefits for this case in the implementation year were positive in 10 of the 14 regions studied. The results for our central case suggest that all but one region should experience positive net benefits within 5 years after implementation.
Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States of America.
Jonathan J
JJ
Buonocore
Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Petersham, Massachusetts, 01366, United States of America.
Kathleen F
KF
Lambert
Resources for the Future, Washington, District of Columbia, 20036, United States of America.
Dallas
D
Burtraw
Resources for the Future, Washington, District of Columbia, 20036, United States of America.
Samantha
S
Sekar
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, 13244, United States of America.
Charles T
CT
Driscoll
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D058572:Carbon Footprint / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D018803:Models, Economic; D011210:Power Plants / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States
D000393:Air Pollutants; D002245:Carbon Dioxide