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23
3
Urban Air Quality
With contributions from Ronaldo G. Maghirang
Abstract
Air quality is a major environmental issue, with ambient air quality in large
cities and indoor air quality (where solid fuels are a source of energy) being
two aspects of air quality that have major significance. The social cost of
illness and early mortality from poor air quality exceeds $4 trillion per year. A
particular risk is particulates in the air smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5)
that impact health by entering the lungs and finding their way into locations
where they have health effects. Nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and
volatile organic compounds in ambient air also have health impacts. Efforts
to improve air quality by reducing the amount of electricity generated from
the combustion of fossil fuels and by electrifying transportation are in progress in many parts of the world. Household air pollution can be reduced by
cooking and heating with gas or electricity rather than solid fuels. Improving
air quality is a high priority in many locations and there is a need to continue to take significant and decisive actions on this front. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 will be beneficial to communities that
are working to improve air quality.
3.1 Introduction
Air quality in cities has impacted human health and quality of life for
about as long as cities have existed, along with the combustion processes
used for cooking, heating, and industry. Air pollution in cities is a global
concern, with welfare costs that exceed $4 trillion per year (Erickson et al.,
2017; UNICEF, 2016). Two important sources of air pollution are emissions
from transportation and open burning. Combustion of solid fuels used for
cooking contributes significantly to household air pollution and urban air
23
3
Urban Air Quality
With contributions from Ronaldo G. Maghirang
Abstract
Air quality is a major environmental issue, with ambient air quality in large
cities and indoor air quality (where solid fuels are a source of energy) being
two aspects of air quality that have major significance. The social cost of
illness and early mortality from poor air quality exceeds $4 trillion per year. A
particular risk is particulates in the air smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5)
that impact health by entering the lungs and finding their way into locations
where they have health effects. Nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and
volatile organic compounds in ambient air also have health impacts. Efforts
to improve air quality by reducing the amount of electricity generated from
the combustion of fossil fuels and by electrifying transportation are in progress in many parts of the world. Household air pollution can be reduced by
cooking and heating with gas or electricity rather than solid fuels. Improving
air quality is a high priority in many locations and there is a need to continue to take significant and decisive actions on this front. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 will be beneficial to communities that
are working to improve air quality.
3.1 Introduction
Air quality in cities has impacted human health and quality of life for
about as long as cities have existed, along with the combustion processes
used for cooking, heating, and industry. Air pollution in cities is a global
concern, with welfare costs that exceed $4 trillion per year (Erickson et al.,
2017; UNICEF, 2016). Two important sources of air pollution are emissions
from transportation and open burning. Combustion of solid fuels used for
cooking contributes significantly to household air pollution and urban air