ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF CO-BENEFIT OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION INITIATIVES ON PUBLIC HEALTH IN IRELAND.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

    • RESEARCH CHALLENGE: TO INVESTIGATE AND ECONOMICALLY QUANTIFY HOW DIFFERENT CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION INITIATIVES CAN HAVE CO-BENEFITS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN IRELAND.
    • RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND METHADOLOGY.

    1.TO IDENTIFY LARGE SCALE MITIGATION ACTIVITIES ARE CURRENTLY PLANNED FOR IRELAND AND TO QUANTIFY THEIR COST OF IMPLEMENTAION.

    2.THE DETERMINE THE ECONOMIC COST OF ASTMA ILLNESS.

    3.TO IDENTIFY THE STRESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON DIFFERENT DISEASES IN IRELAND.

               

  • DATA WAS COLECTED FROM (HSE) HEATH SERVICES EXECUTIVES, ( HPSC) HEALTH PROTECTION SURVEILLANCE CENTRE, IRISH ASTHMA SOCIETY, IRISH THORACIC SOCIETY, CENTRAL STATISTICS OFFICE ETC.
  • PREVALENCE BASED APPROACHED WAS USED WHICH CAPTURES COST IN A GIVEN YEAR.
  • TWO TYPES i.e DIRECT AND INDIRECT COST WAS USED TO MEASURE THE COST OF ILLNESS.
  • DIRECT COST INCLUDED: HOSPITAL INPATIENT CARE, HOSPITAL OUTPATIENT CARE, GP VISITS, MEDICATIONS.
  • INDIRECT COSTS: LOSS OF SCHOOL DAYS, LOSS OF WORK, MORTALITY LOSS.

RESULTS

  • ASTHMA ILLNESS COSTS OUR HEALTH SERVICES APPROX 501 MILLION EURO.
  • ASTHMA ILLNESS IS ON RISE IN IRELAND AND THERE ARE CERTAIN FACTORS WHICH AFFECTS ASTHMA ILLNESS, INCLUDES TOBACCO SMOKING OUTDOOR AND INDOOR POLLUTION FROM TRANSPORT, AGRICULTURE, COAL, PEAT, WOOD, CLIMATE CHANGE AND UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER ARE THE BIG CAUSES OF PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA IN IRELAND.
  • THE GOVT HOME HEATING SCHEME, HOME INSULATION GRANTS, WOULD BENEFITS PEOPLE AND WILL HELP IN CONTROLLING OF ASTHMA.
  • WITH IRELAND ACHIEVING 10% OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE USAGE ON THE ROADS BY 2020 AND GRANT OF 6000 EURO WOULD BENEFIT THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WILL REDUCE THE AIR POLLUTION FROM TRANSPORT.
  • THE AFFORESTATION WILL COST 3.2 BILLION EURO AND WILL REMOVE ON ESTIMATED NET OF 4.5 MILLION TONNES OF CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE, WHICH WILL RESULT IN BENEFIT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN REDUCTION OF ASTHMA AND OTHER CHRONIC DISEASES.

RECOMMENDATION

  • DIESEL TRANSPORT SHOULD BE TAXED MORE REGARDLESS OF ENGINE SIZE.
  • AVAILABILITY OF EVs AT AFFORDABLE PRICES.
  • EVs GRANTS SHOULD BE MADE EASY AND SOFT.
  • LPG IN VEHICES SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.
  • BAN ON UNNECESSARY OF CUTTING OF TRESS.
  • FASTENING TO TRANSITION OF CLEAN ENERGY .
  • MAX RELY ON WIND, HYDRO, SOLAR AND THERMAL ENERGY.
  • NEW RESIDENTIAL SCHEMES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
  • AGE LIMIT FOR TOBACCO USE SHOULD BE 21 YEARS OF AGE.
  • ASTHMA MEDICATION SHOULD BE SUBSIDIZED FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE MEDICAL CARDS.