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Urban natural capital accounts: developing a novel approach to quantify air pollution removal by vegetation

Author

Listed:
  • Laurence Jones
  • Massimo Vieno
  • Alice Fitch
  • Edward Carnell
  • Claudia Steadman
  • Philip Cryle
  • Mike Holland
  • Eiko Nemitz
  • Dan Morton
  • Jane Hall
  • Gina Mills
  • Ian Dickie
  • Stefan Reis

Abstract

Air pollution presents a major risk to human health, resulting in premature deaths and reduced quality of life. Quantifying the role of vegetation in reducing air pollution concentrations is an important contribution to urban natural capital accounting. However, most current methods to calculate pollution removal are static, and do not represent atmospheric transport of pollutants, or interactions among pollutants and meteorology. An additional challenge is defining urban extent in a way that captures the green and blue infrastructure providing the service in a consistent way. We developed a refined urban morphology layer which incorporates urban green and blue space. We then applied an atmospheric chemistry transport model (EMEP4UK) to calculate pollutant removal by urban natural capital for pollutants including PM2.5, NO2, SO2, O3. We calculated health benefits directly from the change in pollutant concentrations (i.e. exposure) rather than from tonnes of pollutant removed. Urban natural capital across Britain removes 28,700 tonnes of PM2.5, NO2, SO2, O3. The economic value of the health benefits are substantial: £136 million in 2015, resulting from 900 fewer respiratory hospital admissions, 220 fewer cardiovascular hospital admissions, 240 fewer deaths and 3600 fewer Life Years Lost.

Suggested Citation

  • Laurence Jones & Massimo Vieno & Alice Fitch & Edward Carnell & Claudia Steadman & Philip Cryle & Mike Holland & Eiko Nemitz & Dan Morton & Jane Hall & Gina Mills & Ian Dickie & Stefan Reis, 2019. "Urban natural capital accounts: developing a novel approach to quantify air pollution removal by vegetation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(4), pages 413-428, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:teepxx:v:8:y:2019:i:4:p:413-428
    DOI: 10.1080/21606544.2019.1597772
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Stephen B. Stewart & Anthony P. O’Grady & Daniel S. Mendham & Greg S. Smith & Philip J. Smethurst, 2022. "Digital Tools for Quantifying the Natural Capital Benefits of Agroforestry: A Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-32, September.
    2. Ellen Banzhaf & Sally Anderson & Gwendoline Grandin & Richard Hardiman & Anne Jensen & Laurence Jones & Julius Knopp & Gregor Levin & Duncan Russel & Wanben Wu & Jun Yang & Marianne Zandersen, 2022. "Urban-Rural Dependencies and Opportunities to Design Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience in Europe and China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-25, March.
    3. Elias Naber & Rebekka Volk & Kai Mörmann & Denise Boehnke & Thomas Lützkendorf & Frank Schultmann, 2022. "Namares—A Surface Inventory and Intervention Assessment Model for Urban Resource Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-34, July.
    4. Alice Fitch & Rebecca L. Rowe & Niall P. McNamara & Cahyo Prayogo & Rizky Maulana Ishaq & Rizki Dwi Prasetyo & Zak Mitchell & Simon Oakley & Laurence Jones, 2022. "The Coffee Compromise: Is Agricultural Expansion into Tree Plantations a Sustainable Option?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-17, March.
    5. Alessio Russo & Wing Tung Chan & Giuseppe T. Cirella, 2021. "Estimating Air Pollution Removal and Monetary Value for Urban Green Infrastructure Strategies Using Web-Based Applications," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, July.

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