Emission Impossible update of HAPINZ goes live

September 11th, 2012

In July 2012, the Updated Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand (HAPINZ) Study 2012 was publicly released.  Gerda was the lead author of the study update which includes recent baseline data (census, ambient monitoring, source apportionment and inventory data) as well as utilising the most current New Zealand-specific epidemiology and social cost data to estimate health effects and social impacts from air pollution.  Whilst not primary research, the updated study has been internationally peer reviewed and endorsed by a number of eminent researchers (including Künzli).

In addition to updated estimates and documented, transparent methodology, a key feature of the update is the production of two new models:

• HAPINZ Update Exposure Model (available on request from Emission Impossible Limited)

• HAPINZ Update Health Effects Model (available at www.hapinz.org.nz)

The latter enables end-users to output results nationally, regionally, by local authority, by Statistics New Zealand urban areas or by airshed.  End-users are also able to run scenarios for comparison with the base case, by selecting from a range of plausible input values of population, exposure and epidemiological exposure-response functions.  The scenario option can be used to undertake sensitivity testing to:

• test the effects of different assumptions,

• evaluate the effects of population and emission trends, or

• review the effectiveness of different air quality management options.

We are very proud of this major achievement and welcome queries on the study.