Rapid adoption of electric vehicles and low-carbon energy would dramatically improve children’s respiratory health in the United States, according to a new report released Wednesday by the American Lung Association.
If the U.S. meets three targets — 100 percent zero-emission passenger vehicle sales by 2035, emission-free truck sales by 2040 and a fossil-fuel-free electric grid by 2035 — it could prevent 2.79 million total asthma attacks among children, 147,000 pediatric bronchitis cases and over 500 infant deaths by midcentury, the organization found.
“Curbing pollution from transportation and energy production is key to cleaning our air and protecting our nation’s children,” said Will Barrett, senior director for nationwide clean air advocacy at the American Lung Association, in an email.
The report did not assess the likelihood of the U.S. reaching net-zero power and transportation sectors, but instead calculated the possible health effects of a business-as-usual scenario.
