在联邦污染控制条例被削弱的背景下, 电子游戏软件的全球污染与健康观察站将开展一项与空气污染有关的死亡和疾病电子游戏正规平台, as well as cognitive loss among children, in Massachusetts. 该项目得到了巴尔基金会8万美元奖金的支持.

这项电子游戏正规平台将是首个逐镇收集数据的电子游戏正规平台, city-by-city basis, 天文台主任兼生物学教授菲利普·兰德里根说, M.D., the principal investigator on the project.

该奖项将支持对现有政府机构和电子游戏正规平台组织提供的空气污染和健康数据进行分析,以评估空气污染对公众健康造成的损害, said Landrigan. 空气中的污染物被认为是导致疾病的主要原因, disability and premature death around the world.

In 2017, despite strong state-based pollution controls, there were an estimated 1,546 deaths caused by air pollution in Massachusetts, 根据健康计量与评估电子游戏正规平台所. Globally, 空气污染每年造成500万人过早死亡, 根据具有里程碑意义的2017年报告的调查结果 The Lancet 污染与健康委员会,兰德里根是该委员会的联合主席.

“This remains an important problem,” said Landrigan, whose observatory is the first initiative of the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, the centerpiece of a 155,这个占地5000平方英尺的电子游戏正规平台中心目前正在建设中,预计明年开放.

Phil Landrigan

Phil Landrigan

“每年大约有1500人死亡,这是很多可以预防的死亡,”他补充说. “这可能比50年前要好,但这仍然是一个重大问题. 如果我们能详细说明某个城市或城镇问题的严重程度——确定死亡人数, 或者儿童智商下降——我们认为这将刺激行动. 我们希望人们了解其中的风险,并把它带回家,这样它就不是抽象的东西.”

自1970年《电子游戏正规平台》通过以来,美国各地的空气污染水平已经下降.S. and in Massachusetts. Across the country, 六种主要空气污染物的水平下降了70%,这一努力的一个里程碑式的胜利是通过从汽油中去除铅来减少空气中的铅污染, 这是兰德里根在20世纪70年代帮助领导的一项倡议.

自2017年1月唐纳德·特朗普总统就职以来的三年里, 美国对空气污染的控制已经停滞不前,” according to the grant proposal. 这种放缓反映了特朗普政府的一系列监管倒退,削弱了环境标准,破坏了健康保护.”

Regulatory rollbacks include: replacement of the Clean Power Plan that regulated emissions from coal-fired power plants by a scheme that that allows states to set their own emissions standards; weakening of emissions standards for cars, trucks and buses; and deregulation of airborne releases from oil and gas extraction, Landrigan said.

在美国,空气污染造成的死亡人数已经开始增加.S., 增幅最大的是中西部和南部的煤矿开采州, oil drilling and natural gas extraction, according to Landrigan.

如果我们能详细说明某个城市或城镇问题的严重程度——确定死亡人数, 或者儿童智商下降——我们认为这将刺激行动. 我们希望人们了解其中的风险,并把它带回家,这样它就不是抽象的东西.
Philp Landrigan, MD, Observatory Director and Professor of Biology

Working with lead researcher Samantha Fisher, Landrigan will undertake a detailed, 基于地理的疾病流行病学分析, disability, premature death, 由于马萨诸塞州城镇的空气污染,寿命缩短, using the most recently available data. 兰德里根说,他希望这项电子游戏正规平台能更清楚地揭示空气污染在非传染性疾病中的作用,而非传染性疾病通常被归咎于吸烟或其他行为, or “old age.”

In addition to health risks for adults, the study will look at pre-term births, low birth weight, autism spectrum disorder, and asthma in children.

与波士顿儿童医院和哈佛医学院神经心理学家大卫·贝林格合作, 他是天文台最近在印度和非洲项目的合作伙伴, 这项电子游戏正规平台将估计儿童智商的下降,这可能是由于全州城镇空气污染的破坏性影响造成的.

电子游戏正规平台结果将发表在同行评议的期刊上,并向公众分发, as well as policy makers.

Landrigan希望这份报告能够通过确定固定污染源和移动污染源之间的联系以及经过验证的减少污染的科学解决方案来影响决策者. As a co-chair of The LancetCommission on Pollution and Health in 2017, 兰德里根和其他科学家得出结论,污染控制是一场“可以打赢的战斗”.”

Launched in 2018, the Global Observatory on Pollution and Health 就能源、环境和卫生政策向当选官员和全球公众提供建议. 它帮助世界各地的城市和国家确定和量化其最严重的环境污染形式, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save lives. 该站正在进行的电子游戏正规平台项目包括:印度的空气污染:对疾病的影响, the Economy and Human Capital (supported by UN Environment); Human Health and Ocean Pollution (supported by the Prince Albert II de Monaco Foundation); Air Policy, Economic Development, and Energy Futures in Africa (supported by UN Environment); and a recently launched investigation of the preventable, 全球心血管疾病大流行上升的环境驱动因素.

The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, 让所有学生在高中及以后取得成功. Founded in 1997, Barr now has assets of $2 billion, 并为慈善事业捐赠了超过10亿美元. For more information, visit www.barrfoundation.org or follow @BarrFdn on Twitter.

Ed Hayward | University Communications | June 2020