The cost of air pollution : health impacts of road transport

Outdoor air pollution kills more than 3 million people across the world every year, and causes health problems from asthma to heart disease for many more. This is costing societies very large amounts in terms of the value of lives lost and ill health. Based on extensive new epidemiological evidence since the 2010 Global Burden of Disease study, and OECD estimates of the Value of Statistical Life, this report provides evidence on the health impacts from air pollution and the related economic costs. Read more... Local air pollution, and the health problems it causes, have received increased attention in many parts of the world, often because of specific incidents in major cities. However, over the last few years, the evidence base has improved significantly, and now demonstrates that the health impacts of local air pollution, particularly from road transport, are much higher than previously thought. Drawing on this improved evidence base this study estimates the economic cost of the health impacts of air pollution from road transport - on a global scale, but with special reference to the People's Republic of China, India and the OECD Member countries. After the preparation of this book was finished, the World Health Organization published new information showing that 3.7 million people died globally because of outdoor air pollution in 2012; a further increase from the 3.4 million mortalities in 2010 that this book is based on Foreword -- List of abbreviations -- Executive summary -- Defining the economic cost of health impacts -- Reviewing the evidence on and calculating the cost of the health impacts of air pollution -- Rethinking appraisals to mitigate the health impacts of air pollution from road transport.