OECD REPORT LAUNCH: THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS IN ARCTIC COUNCIL COUNTRIES

The online launch event of the OECD report “The Economic Benefits of Air Quality Improvements in Arctic Council Countries” will take place on 28 April 13:00 – 14:00 CEST. The event is co-hosted by OECD and the Icelandic Chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

The report explores the impacts of key policy actions of the Arctic States on improving air quality. It presents projections of the economic consequences of ambitious policies to reduce outdoor air pollution in Arctic States, looking at both the costs and the benefits of policy implementation. The report also analyses the economic consequences of air quality improvements resulting from policy engagement beyond Arctic States (such as by Arctic Council Observer States, as well as globally) and the implementation of integrated climate and energy transition policies.

Background

The work on this report was initiated at Finland’s request during their Chairmanship of the Arctic Council (2017-2019) and the report was developed with the support of the European Union-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic. The information provided by this report aims at complementing the information basis called for in the Arctic Council “Framework for Action on Black Carbon and Methane”.

Event details

The launch event invites policymakers and representatives from NGOs, academia and other stakeholders to learn about the benefits of air pollution policies. The event will allow participants to untangle the possible opportunities, pitfalls and limits that air pollution policies may have for human health, the economy and the Arctic ecosystem.

The session will be opened by the Chair of the Arctic Council, Iceland’s Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson and the Director of the OECD’s Environment Directorate, Rodolfo Lacy, and be moderated by the Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials, Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson. It will feature a presentation of OECD’s work on the benefits of reducing air pollution in Arctic States, followed by a discussion with the current Chair of the EGBCM, Kristín Linda Árnadóttir, as well as Russian Federation’s HoD to the EGBCM, Veronika Ginzburg, and Finland’s HoD to the EGBCM, Kaarle Kupiainen. The event will close with a Q&A round, including experts involved in developing the report.

For more information and to register for the event, please visit the OECD event website: Launch event: OECD report on The Economic Benefits of Air Quality Improvements in Arctic Council Countries – OECD.

In addition, the Black Carbon Arctic Virtual Forum will take place on 29 April 2021, 14:00-16:30 CEST, which will present the results of the EU-funded project, Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic, which developed the scenarios that underlie the OECD report as well as AMAP’s forthcoming assessment on Impacts of short-lived climate forcers on Arctic climate, air quality and human health.

source: https://arctic-council.org/