Health effects of atmospheric particles in the Nordic and Arctic regions: Sectoral contributions and impacts of future changes in anthropogenic emissions and climate

The main objective of the FREYA has been to assess the contributions of individual manmade emission sources versus long-range transported air pollution on surface pollutant levels over the Nordic region in order to identify the major emission sectors for mitigation of adverse health impacts due to air pollution and how the premature mortality will change in the future under different emission scenarios.

Manmade atmospheric particles have been estimated to lead to 5,000 – 9,000 premature deaths in the Nordic countries. Residential combustion is responsible for 50% to 80% of the country’s self-contribution to surface fine atmospheric particles in the Nordic countries. Mitigation of manmade emissions in future can lead to up to 60% reductions in number of premature deaths due to exposure to fine atmospheric particles.