Worsening asthma, severe coughing, and shortness of breath: all of these phenomena are side effects of ground-level ozone—a dangerous mixture of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in our atmosphere. Due to climate change and ongoing struggles to regulate air quality, a study from a team of researchers based at Yale and beyond predicted an increase in ground-level ozone in multiple parts of the world. Kai Chen, assistant professor of epidemiology and director of research for the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, has been interested in the health effects of ozone pollution since the start of his PhD.
Chen’s team used Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) simulations, along with epidemiological data from 406 cities in twenty countries and regions, to observe global climate interactions. Their analysis demonstrated that ozone-related deaths will increase from 0.17 percent to 0.22 percent of all deaths due to growing levels of global warming. However, one scenario projected that these deaths could decline from 0.17 percent to 0.15 percent if we completely comply with the Paris Climate Agreement.
“Our findings highlight the urgent need for stricter air quality regulations, as the current standards in many countries are not sufficient to address this growing threat,” Chen said. “We live in a warming world, which will, unfortunately, mean that there could be more ozone pollution in already polluted urban areas due to climate change.” Studies have confirmed associations between ground-level ozone and premature death, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, highlighting the urgent need for climate action. By reducing ozone-pollutant emissions, we can help safeguard the health of human populations.
[Citations]
Domingo, N.G.G., Fiore, A.M., Lamarque, J., Schneider, A., Vicedo-Cabrera A.M., & Chen, K. (2024). Ozone-related acute excess mortality projected to increase in the absence of climate and air quality controls consistent with the Paris Agreement. One Earth, 7(2), 325-335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.001