SUSTAI NABLE ENVI R ON M E NT
Sustainable environment
Sustainable transition Sustainable society
Health effects, plant damage and climate – air pollution affects more than was previously recognised Air pollution affects both our health and the environment. It makes people ill and contributes to plant damage, acidification and climate change. The results from five Swedish research programmes show that air pollution has a greater impact than was previously known. “In many ways, Swedish research has increased knowledge about air pollution and how it affects people and the environment. This new knowledge has also opened our eyes to the complexity of the atmospheric environment and how closely it is linked with other environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity, food production and public health,” said Stefan Åström, researcher at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. The reports have been produced by researchers at SMHI, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, the University of Gothenburg, Umeå University and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, among others. The research has primarily been funded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Mistra Research Foundation. The Swedish studies show that exposure to particulate matter in diesel exhaust fumes has a direct impact on the cardiovascular system. They also demonstrate a link between exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, effects on the foetus and links to dementia and childhood allergies. Despite the fact that Sweden has among the lowest levels of air pollution in Europe, it is estimated that more than 7,000 people will die prematurely each year due to exposure to partic-
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ulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in particular. “The research programmes have led to better knowledge about exposure and the extent of the impact of various sources and pollutants. As a result, it is now possible to make better assessments of the effectiveness of various air pollution measures,” says Camilla Andersson at SMHI. Air pollution also affects our ecosystems and our economy. The research shows that nitrogen deposition affects biodiversity and leads to reduced incidence of certain, often red-listed plants. In addition, the deposition interacts with the way we use the land, primarily how we utilise our forests. The negative impact on people and the environment comes with huge costs to society, often many times greater than what it would cost to cut the emissions. CL OSE L I N K S W IT H CL I M AT E CH A NGE
There is also a close relationship between the climate and air pollution. For example, it has been observed that soot particles are accelerating the rise in temperature in the Arctic. Reduced emissions of soot, including from wood burning and dieselpowered engines, would therefore have immediate positive effects on the climate.
IVL SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
