Modelling developments linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
date: 03/07/2020
- New research from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) quantifies the economic value of health-related (premature mortality) air quality co-benefits of climate policy. It does so by combining atmospheric chemistry modelling with integrated energy systems models. This approach enables to come up with a monetary co-benefit value ($ 2015 per tonne of CO2e) by multiplying air pollutant emissions (expressed in PM2.5-equivalent emissions) with their corresponding region- and pollutant-specific health impact cost. A range of results is presented across a set of integrated assessment models, building on the scenario ensemble of the 30th Energy Modelling Forum (EMF). While on the global level the air quality co-benefits range from USD 8 to USD 40 per tonne of GHG abated in 2030, there are strong variations across regions and sectors. For example, the co-benefits in the residential and service sectors in India exceed USD 500 per abated tonne. This information may help identify synergetic actions and point out opportunities to ratchet up climate ambition while improving human health simultaneously. The article is available online in the journal of Climatic Change.
- The JRC has also made available a new dataset that allows to bridge micro-level consumption and national-level production statistics. The dataset represents a set of bridging matrices that allow combining economy-wide input-output tables (in products by activity (CPA) classification) with micro-level household budget surveys (in consumption by purpose (COICOP) classification). Making these tables publicly available may facilitate connecting different tools and datasets to analyse how the carbon content of consumption differs across household types and income groups. They will be useful for CGE and input-output models and for carbon footprint and life cycle analysis. The published bridge matrices form one necessary piece in a modelling toolbox that can analyse distributional impacts of climate policy driven by differences in consumption patterns. The dataset covers 30 European countries and it is available online in the journal Data In Brief.