Global Warming Reports
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Executive Summary
Despite years of progress in cleaning up California’s air, millions of Californians continue
to breathe the dirtiest air in the nation.
In fact, the Golden State is home to eight of the 10 most ozone-polluted
counties in the United
States.
Unfortunately, scientists predict that rising temperatures from global
warming will increase conditions conducive to ozone formation (often called
“smog”). This report examines the
correlation between higher temperatures and ozone pollution at eight locations in
California,
and concludes that, in order to protect the health of Californians,
policy-makers must take aggressive steps to reduce pollution that leads to smog,
while also continuing to lead national and international efforts to tackle global
warming.
Ground-level ozone, the primary component of smog, is a
severe respiratory irritant that can aggravate asthma and cause other
respiratory problems, including permanent lung damage. Using temperature and air quality data from
the California Air Resources Board, this report found that the warmer the
weather the more likely that Californians are breathing dirty air.
Key findings include the following:
- In Bakersfield,
ozone levels exceeded the state 8-hr health standard 91 percent of the days
that the daily maximum temperature was 100°F or more. Ozone levels exceeded the state 1-hr health
standard 58 percent of those days.
- In Burbank,
ozone levels exceeded the state 8-hr health standard 42 percent of the days
that the daily maximum temperature was 100°F or more. Ozone levels exceeded the state 1-hr health
standard 41 percent of those days.
- In Folsom, ozone levels exceeded the state 8-hr
health standard 83 percent of the days that the daily maximum temperature was
100°F or more. Ozone levels exceeded the
state 1-hr health standard 58 percent of those days.
- In Fresno,
ozone levels exceeded the state 8-hr health standard 84 percent of the days that
the daily maximum temperature was 100°F or more. Ozone levels exceeded the state 1-hr health
standard 75 percent of those days.
- In Riverside,
ozone levels exceeded the state 8-hr health standard 79 percent of the days
that the daily maximum temperature was 100°F or more. Ozone levels exceeded the state 1-hr health
standard 69 percent of those days.
-
In San
Bernardino, ozone levels exceeded the state 8-hr
health standard 75 percent of the days that the daily maximum temperature was
100°F or more. Ozone levels exceeded the
state 1-hr health standard 67 percent of those days.
- In San
Diego, ozone levels exceeded the state 8-hr health
standard 16 percent of the days that the daily maximum temperature was 90°F or
more. Ozone levels exceeded the state 1-hr
health standard 15 percent of those days.
- In Sequoia
National Park, ozone
levels exceeded the state 8-hr health standard 75 percent of the days that the daily
maximum temperature was 80°F or more.
Ozone levels exceeded the state 1-hr health standard 59 percent of those
days.
Unfortunately, with worldwide emissions of global warming
pollution increasing each year, temperatures are expected to rise in the coming
decades. Scientists predict that higher
temperatures from global warming will lead to higher levels of ozone pollution
in California
by increasing emissions of ozone-forming pollutants and accelerating chemical
processes that generate ozone.
Given California’s
existing air pollution problems and the expectation that global warming will
increase ozone formation that leads to smog, state policy-makers and
environmental agencies should work to significantly reduce ozone-forming
pollutants while simultaneously reducing global warming emissions to levels
that scientists have concluded are necessary to prevent a dramatic increase in
temperature.
To reduce smog pollution state policy-makers and agencies
should prioritize a variety of policy measures, including measures outlined in California’s State
Implementation Plan for federal ambient air quality standards. Measures to prioritize include:
§
Passenger
vehicles – Increase the sale and use of zero-emission and low-polluting
passenger cars and light-duty trucks, accelerate vehicle retirement, and
strengthen the state smog check program;
§
trucks and
off-road equipment – Reduce emissions from medium- and heavy-duty diesel
trucks and off-road equipment by strengthening emissions standards, increasing
retrofits, and accelerating replacement with cleaner technologies;
§
Ports
& goods movement – Require cleaner marine engines and fuels,
increase the number of ships with the ability to use shore-side power (“cold
ironing”), increase retrofits, and accelerate the introduction of cleaner port
trucks, harbor craft and locomotives;
§
Agriculture
– Accelerate the replacement of agricultural equipment through
regulation and incentives; and
§
Strong
enforcement of existing pollution control rules– Enforce tough standards
for cleaner construction equipment, airport ground support, and other off-road
vehicles.
To reduce global warming emissions state policy-makers
and agencies should prioritize successful implementation of the Global Warming
Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32), which commits California to reducing global warming
emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
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