EU could save £20bn per year on health by cutting emissions

By Paul Eccleston
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 02/10/2008

The EU could save an extra £20bn per year on health spending by setting tougher targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report.
The savings could be made if the target of reducing CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 was raised to 30 per cent, in line with the recommendations of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The report, commissioned by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Climate Action Network Europe (CAN-E) and the conservation organisation WWF, claimed it would produce savings, resulting from better health, of between £4.9bn-£20bn.

The figures are based on economic evaluations of loss of life and health, working days lost and hospital costs.
The report claims a 30 per cent cut in emissions would cut hospital admissions by up to 30 per cent, cut cases of chronic bronchitis by 5,300 and result in 2m fewer working days being lost per year.
The EU's impact assessment suggests that every year 369,000 people die prematurely due to air pollution, and that premature deaths, health care and medication associated with air pollution amount to 3-9 per cent of EU Gross Domestic Product.
Current predictions by the EU suggest savings of £40bn but the report claims that raising the target to 30 per cent could increase the savings to as much as £60bn per year.
Génon Jensen, executive director of Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) says: "Data clearly show that action to control global warming by reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions brings major benefits to health.
"This potential alone makes a case for immediately moving the European target to at least 30 per cent domestic cuts of greenhouse gases by 2020. The European Union should be showing leadership on this crucial determinant of our future."
Delia Villagrasa, senior advisor to WWF, said: "Until now the discussion on climate change has been all about costs to industry and the economy, while costs of climate pollution to the society have largely been neglected.
"It is essential to see that measures to promote cleaner sources of energy and reduce fossil fuel consumption will not only contribute to control climate change but will also cut air pollution and improve quality of life for European citizens."