可再生能源或能带来数十亿美元的健康效益

Renewable energy can generate billions of dollars in health benefits

可再生能源或能带来数十亿美元的健康效益

Ten states across the Midwest and Great Lakes region of the US could see $4.7 billion in health benefits in 2030 if they stick with current renewable energy standards, according to a new study from MIT. That's about a 34 percent return on the $3.5 billion price tag associated with actually building out that infrastructure of renewable energy sources such as wind or solar farms.

麻省理工学院的一项新研究显示，如果美国中西部和五大湖地区的10个州能继续坚持当前的可再生能源标准，其将在2030年获得47亿美元的健康效益。实际建设风能或太阳能农场等可再生能源基础设施需投入35亿美元，大约能获得34%的回报。

"THIS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT RENEWABLES PAY FOR THEMSELVES"

“这项研究表明：可再生能源可‘自产自销’”

"This research shows that renewables pay for themselves through health benefits alone," Emil Dimanchev, lead author and senior research associate at the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research told The Verge.

“这项研究表明可再生能源本身就能通过健康益处令其受益，”研究的主要作者、麻省理工学院能源中心的高级研究员埃米尔·迪芒什（Emil Dimanchev）对The Verge杂志说道。

There's no shortage of studies into the potential costs associated with climate change — from insuring vulnerable coastal properties to rebuilding after more frequent and intense storms. And then there are the health risks, ranging from more annoying allergy seasons to a jump in heat-related illnesses and deaths. But this study, published August 12th in Environmental Research Letters examined the health benefits and financial incentives that come along with states using more renewable energy.

目前，与气候变化相关的潜在成本研究不知凡几——从保护沿海建筑到在更频繁、更猛烈的风暴过后重建相关设施等。此外，令人烦躁的过敏季和高温引发的疾病和死亡等健康风险依旧存在。但这项于8月12日发表在《环境研究快报》期刊上的研究分析了使用更多可再生能源的美国各州所产生的健康效益和财政激励。

Why are there such big returns? On top of limiting greenhouse gases that warm the planet, moving away from dirtier sources of energy also affects air quality. The health benefits scientists quantified are a result of limiting exposure to fine particulate matter coming from power plants. And there's a vast body of evidence that shows how particulate matter, or soot, can adversely affect respiratory and cardiovascular health.

为什么回报如此之大？除了限制导致地球变暖的温室气体外，远离非清洁能源也会影响空气质量。科学家量化的健康益处是限制接触来自发电厂的细颗粒物的结果。此外，大量证据表明：颗粒物或烟灰会对呼吸系统和心血管健康造成不利影响。

One of the reasons researchers focused their study on Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware is because the region tends to have poorer air quality, a characteristic linked to its greater reliance on coal. In 2016, the Rust Belt generated 42 percent of its power from coal, compared to 30 percent for the US as a whole.

研究员重点研究宾夕法尼亚州、俄亥俄州、威斯康星州、密歇根州、伊利诺伊州、印第安纳州、西弗吉尼亚州、新泽西州、马里兰州和特拉华州的原因之一是：这些地区往往更依赖煤炭等传统能源，导致其空气质量较差。2016年，煤炭发电占美国“生锈地带”电力构成的42%，而其只占全美电力构成的30%。

But if those states switch to more renewable energy, air quality will improve. As the pollution rates diminish, so should lung cancer, heart attacks, and strokes among people living there. That, the researchers say, could also reduce the medical bills associated with those health effects.

但如果这些州经历转型，更多地使用可再生能源，其空气质量将会提高。随着污染率下降，生活在这片土地的人患肺癌、心脏病和中风的风险也会随之下降。研究员表示，这会进一步减少医药费，带来健康效益。