Photo by: Pixabay user Seagul
Renewable electricity projects and energy efficiency measures can improve health and reduce air pollution.
Creating electricity from clean energy sources like wind and solar—and cutting energy demand—reduces the need for fossil fuel power generation. That increases energy independence and lowers emissions of harmful gases like nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide. This helps reduce premature deaths, heart attacks, asthma exacerbations, and hospitalization for cardiovascular or respiratory issues.
Research from the Harvard Chan School is focused on:
- Exploring how different transportation policies could influence health through better air quality and increases in physical activity.
- The energy, economic, environmental, and health outcomes of an illustrative clean energy standard design that reaches 80% clean electricity by 2030.
- Where to install renewable energy to get the greatest climate and health benefits in the U.S. and around the world.
An 80x30 Clean Electricity Standard: Carbon, Costs, and Health Benefits
The energy, economic, environmental, and health outcomes of an illustrative clean energy standard design that reaches 80% clean electricity by 2030.
'We Don't Have To Live This Way': Doctors Call For Climate Action
A sprawling analysis published by The Lancet focuses on public health data from 2019, and finds that heat waves, air pollution and extreme weather increasingly damage human health.
Clean Energy Futures Project shows low or zero carbon emissions policies for the electricity sector are achievable with climate and health benefits by 2040 to 2050
New research from Clean Energy Futures Project shows low or zero carbon emissions policies for the electricity sector are achievable with climate and health benefits by 2040 to 2050
Where to build global renewable energy to do the most good—a guide for sustainable investments
New metrics can guide investors and policymakers working to reach sustainable development goals.
Where to install renewable energy to get the greatest climate and health benefits in the U.S.
A guide for state and national policymakers designing climate plans and for utility and investor decisions.
Health and Climate Benefits of Offshore Wind
Offshore wind facilities could save many lives and billions of dollars.
Environmental News: Super Pollutants Lurking In Your AC, Biden's Support For Electric Cars And Cape Cod Residents' Climate Dilemma
Our Director Dr. Aaron Bernstein talks with Callie Crossley, Beth Daley, and Cabell Eames about the dangers of heat, the health impacts of air conditioning, and rising tides on Cape Cod.
Adding A Climate Lens To Health Policy In The United States
Our Yerby Fellow Dr. Renee Salas and Interim Director Dr. Aaron Bernstein outline specific recommendations for achieving climate action through health policy and decision making.
Climate Change is Making Us Sick
Our Yerby Fellow Dr. Renee Salas comments on the findings from the 2020 Lancet Countdown report and how climate change is harming our health today.
'We Don't Have To Live This Way': Doctors Call For Climate Action
A sprawling analysis published by The Lancet focuses on public health data from 2019, and finds that heat waves, air pollution and extreme weather increasingly damage human health.
Clean Energy Futures Project shows low or zero carbon emissions policies for the electricity sector are achievable with climate and health benefits by 2040 to 2050
New research from Clean Energy Futures Project shows low or zero carbon emissions policies for the electricity sector are achievable with climate and health benefits by 2040 to 2050
Trump's EPA rewrote the rules on air, water energy. Now voters face a choice on climate change issues
New research finds that it's possible to get to zero emissions in the electricity sector within two decades.
Rich Americans spew more carbon pollution at home than poor
Rich Americans produce nearly 25% more heat-trapping gases than poorer people at home, according to a new study.
More renewables will mean less asthma and heart disease in the Midwest
A transition to renewable energy in the Midwest is good for our health.
Solar energy
Unpack the shift to solar, how to do it, why it matters, and what it can do for our environment and health with our researcher, Jonathan Buonocore.
Here’s where we should put our renewables to get the biggest carbon benefit
Health and climate benefits vary by where in the world you build wind and solar. Jonathan Buonocore discusses our new study.
Aaron Bernstein MD, MPH
Aaron examines the human health effects of global environmental changes with the aim of promoting a deeper understanding of these subjects among students, educators, policy makers, and the public.
