on had saved more lives than it cost
The costs of responding to climate change have been outweighed by the benefits of clean air and improved health, according to a global analysis.
Researchers, led by US thinktank the Energy Policy Institute, found that spending fuelled by the Paris Agreement had saved 300,000 lives in 2018, and 1.2 million lives cumulatively.
The study covered many of the world’s biggest economies and took into account factors such as air pollution, agricultural yields, extreme weather, and the spread of infectious diseases.
“We estimated a far greater value from the health improvements alone than the costs to reduce emissions,” said co-author Michael Greenstone.
British researchers, not involved in the study, responded to the findings in a journal editorial, calling for more research into the wider effects of climate policy and in responding to crises like Covid-19.
They noted that looking at the wider health benefits of policies like lockdowns can help to answer the question of the value of interventions as the world moves forward.
Image: Mika Baumeister
