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Hi Everyone, SOCAAR is pleased to announce our next seminar: Wednesday March 2, 2016 3 - 4 PM 200 College Street, WB 407 Air quality co-benefits of climate policy Rebecca Saari Assistant Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering University of Waterloo Combating climate change is a long-term global challenge with near-term local "co-benefits" from pollution reduction. Policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions can also reduce outdoor levels of air pollutants that harm human health by targeting the same emissions sources. Climate policies are linked to health co-benefits through a complex policy-to-impacts pathway. Their design and scope can affect who gains from pollution reductions and by how much. In this seminar, we examine this relationship using a new integrated modeling framework. We identify policy approaches that yield significant 'win-win' benefits for avoiding dangerous climate change and protecting human health. We present an integrated modeling framework that combines advanced models of the economy and atmosphere to compare air quality co-benefits to policy costs across different regions and income groups. We assess the relationship of air quality co-benefits to different policy designs (sector, flexibility), climate uncertainty and feedbacks, and income inequality. We find that the most cost-effective policies (cross-sectoral and cross-regional trading) have air quality co-benefits that can completely offset their costs. This is bolstered by reducing the effect of a warmer climate on air quality; this effect alone offsets a significant fraction of global climate stabilization policy costs, with growing importance over time. We find that inequality in exposure makes ozone reductions relatively more valuable for low income households. As a whole, this work links air pollution to the challenge of finding sustainable responses to climate change. If you are unable to join us for the seminar in person, we will be broadcasting the presentations live during the seminar using GoToMeeting software. Please feel free to join us online using a web-browser or by calling in and using the webviewing software. If you do decide to join us, please remember to mute your microphone. If you have any questions during the meeting you are welcome to contact me by email, or by using the GoToMeeting chat. 1. Please join my meeting. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/841867685 2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone. Dial +1 (647) 497-9379 Access Code: 841-867-685 Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting Meeting ID: 841-867-685