A Scenario Tool for Assessing the Health Benefits of Conserving, Restoring and Managing Natural and Working Lands in California
Contact
Principal Investigator/Author: Michael Jerrett
Contractor: University of California, Los Angeles
Sub-contractors: University of California, Berkeley & Baylor University
Contract Number: 19RD015
Project Status: Completed July 2024
Relevant CARB Programs: AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan
Topic Areas: Natural and Working Lands,Wildfires, Smoke,Wildfire Smoke & Health
Research Summary:
California is comprised of biologically diverse landscapes that include forests, woodlands, rangelands, farmlands, riparian areas, grasslands, scrublands, wetlands and urban green space. Together these lands are known as Natural and Working Lands (NWL). The goal of this contract is to create a NWL health scenario tool that will calculate the potential health impacts of climate policies in NWL. To develop the tool, the research team will conduct an in-depth literature review of health studies on wildfire, urban green space, and benefits of NWL in reducing pollution and improving health. The research team will conduct health impact assessments of urban greening scenarios, historic wildfire, and future wildfire scenarios. The health endpoints to be investigated include mortality and life expectancy for the urban greenspace analysis, and mortality and respiratory outcomes for wildfire. The results will be incorporated into the NWL health scenario tool. The final tool will be able to quantify the health benefits of NWL management scenarios that reduce wildfire and increase greening in urban areas. It is anticipated that the results of the NWL Health Scenario Tool will fill critical gaps in knowledge about potential human health impacts of various activities related to the conservation, management, and restoration of NWL in California.
Keywords: wildfires, wildfire smoke, public health, health assessment, PM2.5, modeling, natural and working lands, health outcome, epidemiology, Scoping Plan, health Co-Benefit Areas, urban greening, climate actions
Research Seminar
Date & Time | Location | Materials |
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July 19, 2024 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Zoom | Seminar Recording |