A new report released by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has sent a stark warning on the effects of climate change on ozone levels in the state’s major air basins.
According to scientists from the University of California at Davis and Berkeley, rising temperatures will increase ozone levels while peak concentrations of dangerous airborne particles will increase in the San Joaquin Valley because of the effects of climate change on wind patterns.
Mary D Nichols, the ARB chairman, commented that there is now scientific evidence to suggest that higher temperatures are hurting our lungs and that to protect health it is necessary to take cost-effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The study provides evidence of the “climate penalty” where rising temperatures are increasing ground level ozone and airborne health damaging particles – this is despite reductions that have been achieved through programmes that have targeted smog-forming emissions.
It is believed that California could experience six-30 days with ozone levels exceeding federal clean-air standards and failure to reduce ozone and particulate matter levels could lead to the loss of transportation funds used by the state.
On the plus side however, the report also noted that climate change would decrease annual average particulate matter concentrations on coastal regions of the state.
