Transcript The Ambient Air Quality Accounts for the NS GPI

Genuine Progress Index for Atlantic Canada
Indice de progrès véritable - Atlantique
The Ambient Air Quality Accounts
for the
Nova Scotia Genuine Progress Index
Anne Monette, MES and Ronald Colman, PhD
January 21, 2004
To measure how “well off” we are,
we generally rely on the economic
growth statistics. But…..
•These measures take no account of the value
of our natural, human, and social assets:
•The quality of our environment, the health of
our natural resources, the health and
education of our people, the strength and
safety of our communities count for nothing in
our GDP-based measures of progress
“The more the economy grows, the
better off we are = the wrong message?
 Crime, sickness, pollution, natural disasters
(Juan), resource depletion make economy grow
 GDP can grow as poverty and inequality increase.
 More work hours / stress make economy grow;
free time has no value.
 GDP ignores work that contributes directly to
wellbeing (volunteers, work in home).
We Need Better Indicators of Progress
and Wellbeing. In the GPI…..
 Health, livelihood security, natural resources,
free time, unpaid work, & education have value
 Sickness, crime, disasters, pollution are costs
 Reductions in crime, poverty, greenhouse gases,
ecological footprint are progress = less is
sometimes better!
 Growing equity signals progress
Air Quality and the
Genuine Progress Index
• The atmosphere supports the lives and activities
of humans & millions of species of plants and
animals: – Therefore clean air is explicitly
valued in the GPI. Without it, health, lives,
wellbeing are compromised – now and in future
• Therefore reduction in air pollution and
improvement in air quality are key indicators of
genuine progress in GPI
• The damages caused by air pollution are
counted as costs to the economy
Impacts of Air Pollution
• Health: More Canadians die and are admitted
to hospital for heart and lung problems on days
with elevated levels of air pollution than on days
when the air quality is better
• Air pollution causes damages to agriculture
crops (reduced yields), forests, and materials
• Acid deposition (acid rain) damages lakes,
rivers, wetlands, forests; and kills fish
• Poor visibility
Air Pollutants – 2 issues:
CAC concentrations & emissions
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Total Particulate Matter (TPM or PM)
• Sulphur Oxides (SOx), incl. sulphur dioxide (SO2)
• Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), incl. nitrogen dioxide
(NO2)
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Ground-level ozone
Costs of damages caused by emissions of
these pollutants are also examined
Air Quality in Nova Scotia
• CO, PM, SO2, and NO2 concentrations have
shown dramatic declines since the 1970s
• Ground-level ozone - no improvement in
15 years – still above maximum acceptable
concentration (MAC) – highest in Canada
• Some lakes, rivers, wetlands continue to
receive twice as much acid deposition as
they can tolerate without suffering longterm damage
Significant Improvements
(esp. Sydney since coke ovens closed):
• CO concentrations decreased by 63%
(Halifax) (1977-2001)
• PM concentrations decreased by 53%
(Halifax) to 79% (Sydney) (1974-2001)
• SO2 concentrations decreased by 74%
(Halifax) to 96% (Sydney) (1974-2001)
• NO2 concentrations decreased by 20%
(Halifax) (1976-2001)
Major air quality problem in
NS = Ground-level ozone
• Highest ozone level in Canada in 2001 occurred
at Aylesford Mountain, King’s County
• Ground-level ozone concentrations at Kejimkujik
National Park increased by 21% (1992-2001)
• Ozone levels at these sites are 2x + MAC
• Since there are no significant local sources of
ozone precursors, these sites indicate extent of
trans-boundary flows of pollutants
High ozone exposure linked to:
– increased respiratory illness
– decreased lung function & exercise capacity
– exacerbation of cardiovascular and
respiratory disease (eg, asthma)
– increased hospital admissions, doctor’s office
visits and emergency room visits
– premature mortality due to cardiovascular
and respiratory illness
High ozone concentrations also
cause damage to:
– Agricultural crops – reduced yields
– Biodiversity through effects on
interspecies competition in freshwaters
– Forests - crown dieback, foliar damage,
reduced biomass, elevated tree mortality
– Materials
Air Quality in Nova Scotia
compared to Canada
• Halifax CO and NO2 concentrations lower than
at Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver sites
• Halifax and Sydney PM concentrations lower
than Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton, Winnipeg,
Edmonton, and Calgary sites
• BUT - Halifax had highest concentration of SO2
of any commercial site in Canada –2 to 12 times
other sites
Emissions: NS and Canada are
among world’s worst polluters
• Canada’s and NS’s per capita emissions of CO,
PM, SOx, and VOCs = higher than those of all
OECD countries; NOx = third highest
• Per capita, Alberta and Saskatchewan have
highest emissions in Canada, Ontario and
Quebec have lowest.
• NS near national CO, NOx and VOCs averages,
but TPM was 24% higher and SOx were 2x
higher
Per Capita Emissions of Sulphur Oxides (kg/capita), Selected OECD Countries (1997 and comparable years)
Damage Costs of Nova Scotia’s
Air Pollutant Emissions
• 2002:
$529 million
$566 per Nova Scotian
• 1990-1999:
$5.7 billion
$6,181 per Nova Scotian
• 1970-2009:
$24 billion
$27,262 per Nova Scotian
Damage Costs of NS Emissions
by Pollutant, 2002 ($millions)
Carbon monoxide
Particulate matter
Sulphur oxides
Nitrogen oxides
Volatile organic compounds
TOTAL
$0.5
$94
$212
$95
$127
$529
Largest Sources of Pollutant
Damage Costs, 2002
• 67% of total damage costs attributable
to Nova Scotia’s emissions of criteria air
contaminants are from three sources:
– non-industrial fuel combustion
– industrial
– transportation
Largest Sources of Damage
Costs, 2002 ($ millions)
Electric Power Generation
Residential Fuel Wood Combustion
Pulp & Paper Industry
Light-Duty Gasoline Trucks
Light-Duty Gasoline Vehicles
Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles
Marine Transportation
$208
$56
$18
$16
$27
$21
$9
SOx = highest damage costs
• SOx, which contributes to acid rain = 40-50% of
damages caused by NS air pollutant emissions
• NS emits more SOx from electric power
generation (135kt) than any other province =
25% of Canada’s SOx emissions from electric
power generation (534kt) = 145kg/capita, more
than 8 times the Canadian average
• 60% of NS electric power generation relies on
coal