KNOWLEDGE
HUB
Resource
Co-benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) screening model
The Co-benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) screening model inexpensively and quickly estimates the air quality, human health, and associated economic impacts of various state-and county-level emission reduction scenarios.
This tool serves as a preliminary screening tool to identify those scenarios that might benefit from further evaluation with more sophisticated air quality modeling approaches.
State and local governments can use COBRA to:
- Better understand the potential for clean energy to enhance air quality, health, and social well being.
- Design or select program options that maximize benefits.
- Build support for clean energy investments based on the air and health benefits.
- Narrow a list of policy options to those that should be evaluated using more sophisticated air quality models.
- Present information about localized health benefits in easy–to–interpret tables and maps.
- Support a balanced decision-making process that considers both the potential costs and benefits of policy options.
Key questions addressed:
- What are the health and associated economic benefits of clean energy policies or programs that reduce air pollution?
Sample data inputs:
- Change in emissions of particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (S02), nitrogen oxides (NOX), ammonia (NH3), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by source category.
Sample quantitative outputs:
- Absolute emission reductions
- Number of health incidences avoided
- Economic value of health incidences avoided.
Access the COBRA tool.
Resources:
User’s manual for the Co-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) screening model.
Presentation: Estimating the co-benefits of clean energy policies: How COBRA works, by EPA
Presentation: Estimating the co-benefits of clean energy policies: Why use COBRA, by EPA
Presentation: Quick start tutorial: how to use COBRA, by EPA
You can also see examples of case studies on the COBRA website.
Institutions Involved
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)