Introduction
3
3
that goal, though, will involve an array of short- , medium- , and longrange activities. For example, Erickson et al. (2017) outlined a number of
issues related to the electrification of transportation (i.e. adopting electric vehicles), the transition to renewable energy and smart grids, and the
need for infrastructure for electric vehicles. These issues are interrelated
because the electrical grid is intimately connected to the powering of electric vehicles.
The topics covered by Erickson et al. (2017) were just about these particular parts of this new pathway (electric vehicles, renewable energy, and
the electrical grid). There is a much wider view of the situation that this book
addresses. This wider view includes the immediate crisis that motivates the
focus on greenhouse gas emissions – air pollution – and the longer- term
crisis from those same emissions – climate change.
1.3 Air Pollution
Greenhouse gas emissions are a major part of general air pollution. Although
air pollution includes many other elements, reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions will tend to cut down several other contributors to air pollution
as a byproduct. Air pollution is the greatest environmental risk to health (see
Chapter 3). In 2012, according to the World Health Organization (WHO),
air pollution contributed to one out of every nine deaths (WHO, 2016).
Combustion emissions, their health effects, and how to reduce emissions are
an important part of this book. Air pollution in large cities and metro areas is
a global health concern, with social costs of more than $3 trillion every year
and more than 3 million people dying prematurely each year because of outdoor air pollution (Lelieveld et al., 2015).
Emissions from transportation and coal- fired electricity generation
are major sources of air pollution (including a lot of greenhouse gas
emissions). The electrification of transportation (Chapter 4) and the transition to renewable energy for the generation of electricity (Chapters 5–
9) thus have two important benefits: Improved air quality and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, the intertwining of these outcomes can
help to make sense of some otherwise puzzling behaviors. For example,
one of the reasons China is electrifying transportation is because air
quality is very poor in many of the larger cities, even as it uses coal power
plants to generate a lot of the required electricity. The next step (for China,
and for the world) is to shift the electrification of cities to carbon- free
energy generation from sources such as wind and solar. Transitions of
both electricity generation and the transportation sector will improve air
quality greatly (Stewart et al., 2018).
3
3
that goal, though, will involve an array of short- , medium- , and longrange activities. For example, Erickson et al. (2017) outlined a number of
issues related to the electrification of transportation (i.e. adopting electric vehicles), the transition to renewable energy and smart grids, and the
need for infrastructure for electric vehicles. These issues are interrelated
because the electrical grid is intimately connected to the powering of electric vehicles.
The topics covered by Erickson et al. (2017) were just about these particular parts of this new pathway (electric vehicles, renewable energy, and
the electrical grid). There is a much wider view of the situation that this book
addresses. This wider view includes the immediate crisis that motivates the
focus on greenhouse gas emissions – air pollution – and the longer- term
crisis from those same emissions – climate change.
1.3 Air Pollution
Greenhouse gas emissions are a major part of general air pollution. Although
air pollution includes many other elements, reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions will tend to cut down several other contributors to air pollution
as a byproduct. Air pollution is the greatest environmental risk to health (see
Chapter 3). In 2012, according to the World Health Organization (WHO),
air pollution contributed to one out of every nine deaths (WHO, 2016).
Combustion emissions, their health effects, and how to reduce emissions are
an important part of this book. Air pollution in large cities and metro areas is
a global health concern, with social costs of more than $3 trillion every year
and more than 3 million people dying prematurely each year because of outdoor air pollution (Lelieveld et al., 2015).
Emissions from transportation and coal- fired electricity generation
are major sources of air pollution (including a lot of greenhouse gas
emissions). The electrification of transportation (Chapter 4) and the transition to renewable energy for the generation of electricity (Chapters 5–
9) thus have two important benefits: Improved air quality and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, the intertwining of these outcomes can
help to make sense of some otherwise puzzling behaviors. For example,
one of the reasons China is electrifying transportation is because air
quality is very poor in many of the larger cities, even as it uses coal power
plants to generate a lot of the required electricity. The next step (for China,
and for the world) is to shift the electrification of cities to carbon- free
energy generation from sources such as wind and solar. Transitions of
both electricity generation and the transportation sector will improve air
quality greatly (Stewart et al., 2018).