Summary
This modelling study projects substantial health co-benefits from strengthening nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement across nine major economies by 2040. Compared with current policy trajectories, a sustainable pathways scenario consistent with Paris Agreement goals would prevent approximately 8.2 million annual deaths across air pollution, diet, and physical inactivity; a more ambitious health-centred climate policy scenario would yield additional benefits of nearly 2 million deaths prevented. The findings suggest that integrating health outcomes as a central objective of climate and agricultural policy could significantly increase ambition whilst delivering substantial public health gains.
UK applicability
The United Kingdom was one of the nine countries modelled in this study, so the findings are directly applicable to UK policy contexts. The results support the case for integrating health outcomes into UK climate policy and agricultural sector decarbonisation strategies.
Key measures
Annual deaths prevented by air pollution, diet-related deaths, and physical inactivity-related deaths across nine countries by 2040 under three policy scenarios
Outcomes reported
The study modelled and quantified health co-benefits of climate policies across energy, food and agriculture, and transport sectors in nine countries by 2040, measuring mortality reductions attributable to changes in air pollution, diet, and physical activity.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.