The World Health Organization 2024 report recently urged world leaders to “reduce pollution-related diseases and cut carbon emissions,” considering that air pollution—particularly extremely small particles known as PM2.5—causes around 7 million deaths yearly. The data hasn’t improved since then, although, fortunately, AI tools have vastly improved and offer new possibilities.
However, it’s crucial to recognize the connections between air pollution regulation and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions to prioritize health. Regulating air pollution is one of the most effective ways to save lives, and as an additional benefit, it also limits greenhouse gas emissions.
On February 7, 2024, the EPA strengthened the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter to protect millions of Americans from harmful and costly health impacts like heart attacks and premature death. The Agency has just reduced the primary (health-based) annual PM2.5 standard from 12 to 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter.
These stronger PM2.5 NAAQS will advance environmental justice by reducing particle pollution, which disproportionately burdens communities of color and other vulnerable communities. According to the regulatory impact analysis of the EPA, on-the-books regulations and available control measures can reduce particle pollution, leading to enormous net public health benefits of as much as $46 billion (in 2032). The WHO guidelines state that annual average concentrations of PM2.5 should not exceed five µg/m3. Some remote areas or places with excellent air quality might have levels as low as 1-3 µg/m³
Many sources of air pollution also produce greenhouse gases: coal-fired power plants, road traffic (particularly diesel vehicles), building energy use (including cooking and heating with wood and coal), unsafe waste disposal and open burning, and industry (including fossil fuel-powered heavy machinery and brick kilns). Thus, if we address the sources of air pollution, we will immediately progress in regulating GHG emissions.
Regulating Air Pollution And Greenhouse Gases Helps Grow the Economy
Cleaner air leads to fewer pollution-related illnesses and premature deaths, translating to substantial economic gains. A 2011 EPA study found that the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are expected to yield $2 trillion in direct benefits to Americans by 2020, exceeding costs by a factor of more than 30-to-1. Globally, air pollution causes the loss of 1.2 billion work days annually, which could reach 3.8 billion days by 2060, according to the nonprofit Clean Air Fund. The evidence clearly shows that prioritizing clean air is compatible with economic development and can boost it by creating healthier, more productive populations and stimulating technological advancements. According to the EPA, between 1970 and 2019, aggregate emissions of common air pollutants in the U.S. dropped 77%, while the GDP grew 285%.
How AI Tools Can Help Reduce Pollution
We now have the data and AI tools to inform data-driven decision-making based on facts and data, not opinions. Regardless of the heated debate regarding whether humans cause climate change, one reality is undeniable: exposure to air pollution and climate-related stressors, including extreme heat, wildfires, droughts, and tropical cyclones, kills people, causes adverse health effects, and causes disastrous consequences to society and economy,
However, thanks to the technological revolution, our ability to access massive amounts of data, and the explosion of human-centered AI, we have the tools to make quick progress on regulating pollution, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and providing data-driven strategies for climate adaptation in the U.S. and globally.
AI algorithms can now emulate and improve climate models, reducing computational time and enhancing the reliability of climate projections. AI tools can even be deployed effectively to estimate exposure to air pollution at a very granular spatial level. We can jointly model exposure to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and policy interventions and pinpoint the most effective regulatory actions that will have the most gains in reducing both while preserving the economy. We can deploy human-centered AI models that will allow us to pinpoint when, where, and how specific individuals and populations will be most affected by climate stressors and inform how to intervene best.
How AI Tools Can Increase Air Pollution
All of these approaches will save lives. However, AI plays a complex role in climate change mitigation efforts, with positive and potentially concerning impacts. Considering AI’s future outlook, we must assume that while AI offers significant potential to accelerate climate action, there are also valid concerns about its environmental footprint. According to the International Energy Agency, 2022, global data center electricity consumption accounted for 1-1.3% of global final electricity demand. A recent article in the MIT Technology Review mentions a Harvard study – which I have co-authored – where we reported that since 2018, carbon emissions from data centers in the US have tripled. For the 12 months ending August 2024, data centers were responsible for 105 million metric tons of CO2, accounting for 2.18% of national emissions (for comparison, domestic commercial airlines are responsible for about 131 million metric tons). About 4.59% of all the energy used in the US goes toward data centers, a figure that’s doubled since 2018.
In summary, while AI offers powerful tools for climate action, its environmental footprint needs careful management. We must measure and monitor the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies and ongoing efforts to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability. There are many potential strategies to limit the carbon footprint of AI (for example, developing and using more efficient AI algorithms or increasing the energy efficiency of data centers by using free air cooling). Still, those approaches are in their infancy, and their effectiveness has not been studied. We must balance the pace of AI penetration in any sector of society with thoughtful consideration of its potentially harmful societal consequences.
