Strategies for Progress: Healthy Air and Climate Change Lyndsay Moseley Alexander Assistant Vice President and Director, Healthy Air Campaign American Lung Association Mission: To save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease Vision: A world free of lung disease Strategic Imperative: Reduce air pollution so that it does not cause or worsen lung disease.

2017 “State of the Air” Report

Climate Change and Air Quality

Pivotal Moment: Challenge and Opportunity “Climate change is a significant threat to the health of the American people.” U.S. Climate and Health Assessment, 2016 “Tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century.” Lancet Commission on Health and Climate Change, 2015

The Clean Air Act – A Key Part of the Strategy for Progress Estimated Benefits of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amdts. Health Effect Reductions (Ozone and PM only) 2010 2020 Adult Mortality - particles 160,000 230,000 Infant Mortality - particles 230 280 Mortality - ozone 4,300 7,100 Chronic Bronchitis 54,000 75,000 Heart Disease - Acute Myocardial Infarction 130,000 200,000 Asthma Exacerbation 1,700,000 2,400,000 Emergency Room Visits 86,000 120,000 School Loss Days 3,200,000 5,400,000 Lost Work Days 13,000,000 17,000,000 US EPA. The Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act from 1990 to 2020: Summary Report. Feb 2011

The Clean Air Act – A Key Part of the Strategy for Progress 2011 – EPA adopted the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards limiting toxic air pollution from power plants and preventing an estimated 13,000 premature deaths annually.* 2012 – EPA Strengthened PM 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard 2012 – EPA/NHTSA Greenhouse Gas Standards for Cars adopted* 2015 – EPA Adopted the Clean Power Plan, first national limits on power plant carbon pollution* 2015 – EPA Strengthened the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard*

Making the Switch to Clean Energy – Good for climate, Good for health Graphic source: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/air/sources.htm

Questions?

A Preview of the “Ask” for Tomorrow’s Congressional Visits Senator/Representative: Will you support measures to reduce pollution from dirty forms of energy and switch to clean, renewable energy?

Mobilizing Health Professionals If you cannot join the hill day tomorrow, I would like to invite you to make your voice heard in another way, by joining a Health Professionals’ Declaration on Climate Change. You can join online or give your initialed business card to one of the Lung Association staffers here today or tomorrow and we will add you to the declaration. We share this with media and decision-makers on an ongoing basis. This declaration has been signed by 1000s of health professionals lays out the main ways that climate change harms health, and calls for action to address climate change. Read more at Lung.org/Climate-Declaration