| Abstract |
As urbanization and industrialization expand globally at a rapid pace, a growing number of developing countries are experiencing a corresponding increase in air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In recent years, numerous studies have linked certain types of conventional air pollutants with adverse health effects ranging from increased respiratory ailments to premature deaths. Air pollution can also damage crops and forests, disrupt ecosystems, contaminate water bodies, corrode building materials, and reduce visibility. All of these problems can have significant and long-lasting impacts on a country, its people, and its economy. Depending upon their source, emissions of conventional air pollution might be accompanied by GHG emissions. When both types of emissions are generated together (e.g. through fossil fuel combustion), opportunities exist to reduce them simultaneously through integrated measures. Readers should note that there is a clear distinction between GHGs and conventional air pollutants. Conventional air pollutants pose local and regional environmental and health risks, while GHGs are more often seen as a global concern, contributing to climate change. As an element of the United States governments commitment to address climate change, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) developed this handbook. The handbook is designed to help readers in developing countries learn about and potentially adopt co-benefits measures to improve local air quality and reduce associated GHGs. This handbook describes the U.S. EPAs Integrated Environmental Strategies (IES) Program approach. The IES approach enables local researchers to quantify the co-benefits that could be derived from implementing policy, technology, and infrastructure measures to reduce air pollutants and GHG emissions. Quantifying the effects of air emissions brings research into the public decisionmaking process and provides a solid foundation upon which to build
environmental and public health improvements.
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