Fuel Economy Improvements
EPA has reported that the average fuel economy achieved by new vehicles in the United States reached a record 24.1 miles per gallon in 2013. The agency “credited the gains to President Obama’s climate agenda,” which aims to increase the fuel efficiency of the US vehicle fleet and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through existing and future requirements laid out by the country’s corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards.
In the latest issue of Resources magazine, RFF’s Alan Krupnick, Joshua Linn, and Virginia McConnell propose a series of research questions to consider during the midterm review of light-duty CAFE standards. The authors write: “The next several years will be an important time for research that can enhance this evaluation and inform future policies. . . . Major questions remain about consumer and manufacturer responses to the regulations and the best methods for estimating the costs and benefits.” For more information, see a four-part blog series and infographic by the authors on midterm CAFE review topics.
Climate Action Health Benefits
A new study by Harvard University, Syracuse University, and Boston University indicates that EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan has the potential to “prevent thousands of premature deaths and hospitalizations, and hundreds of heart attacks” annually in the United States. The study’s authors note that the specific benefits of these regulations are dependent on which policies are included in the final iteration of the Clean Power Plan.
At a recent RFF Policy Leadership Forum, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy highlighted the potential for climate action to improve public health, emphasizing that “climate change supercharges the risks to our health and our economy.” McCarthy also described the economic benefits of improving public health through the regulation of emissions from power plants, stating that “every dollar we invest through the Clean Power Plan will return seven dollars in health benefits.” Video and transcript of the event are now available.
