Emissions from trucks linked to 307,000 deaths and USD 1.4 trillion in health costs

Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) Sweden France Germany United Kingdom United States of America Austria Switzerland Brazil Finland

and 86% of harmful NOX emissions. Diesel trucks from just four manufacturers sold in a period of only 10 years will emit 6,466 kilotons of NOX over their lifetime (2014-2040)[1].

The health and economic impacts of inaction by truckmakers are staggering. Children are among the worst affected. The health impacts include 217,000 new cases of childhood asthma, 321,000 emergency hospital visits, 88,000 preterm births, and 62,000 underweight births.

The economic burden of an estimated USD 1.4 trillion in damages from diesel truck emissions exceeds the GDP of Poland (USD 800 billion) as well as the estimated cost of deployment of electric charging infrastructure:

US: USD 66 billion would support 1.4 million electric trucks by 2032.Europe: EUR 40 billion would support large-scale electrification by 2040.

The report makes it clear: transitioning to trucks that have no tailpipe emissions is essential to saving lives and reducing economic damage. CREA urges governments to introduce a zero-emission truck sales mandate by 2040, end investments in polluting alternatives like biofuels and hydrogen combustion, and prioritize electrification across all markets.

Read the full report, 'Heavy-Duty Harm', here.

About CREA 

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) is an independent research organization focused on identifying the trends, causes, and health impacts of air pollution, as well as finding solutions. Founded in 2019 in Helsinki, CREA operates in several Asian and European countries, funded through philanthropic grants and commissioned research.

Full details of the methodology used in this study are provided in the report.

1. The report analyzes the impact of 7.9 million medium and heavy-duty truck emissions (over 7.5 tons) sold collectively by four manufacturers over the past decade (2014–2023), considering both past emissions and projected future pollution based on typical vehicle lifespans (2014–2040).

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Contact:
Dr. Jamie Kelly
Air Quality Analyst Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)
[e-mail] 

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