Chapter 14 - Air Quality - The Fifth National Climate Assessment

This poster is part of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) poster series. NCA5 Chapter 14 - Air Quality - addresses the effects of climate change on air quality and the opportunities to tackle climate change and air pollution simultaneously. Climate change can increase wildfire smoke and aeroallergens, and influence fine particulate matter and ozone through several processes, potentially making it more difficult to reach air quality goals. The chapter discusses the possible consequences for human health, including respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Since air pollution has disproportionate effects on people of color and people with low socioeconomic status, the chapter addresses how climate change and mitigation actions could influence these populations. Further, because many air pollutants and greenhouse gases are emitted by the same sources, and because some climate forcing agents affect air quality, the authors also discuss the potential to improve air quality and human health while addressing climate change, through coordinated actions. The AMS community is invited to explore the Air Quality chapter as well as the full NCA5—the preeminent source of climate information for the United States. NCA5 is developed by the U.S. Global Change Research Program and is scheduled for release in late 2023.