Abt Global’s analysis found that the construction of a bus rapid transit (BRT) line in Dhaka, Bangladesh, will result in air quality improvements that will, in turn, bring both public health benefits and reductions in overall greenhouse gas emissions. We estimated results for each year from 2014 to 2044.

These changes will be driven mainly by replacing a portion of the existing diesel fleet with large-capacity compressed natural gas buses. Combining the reductions in ambient air pollution with the concentration-response functions, background incidence rates, and population estimates, we estimated a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 434,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents for the entire BRT project evaluation period.

We also estimated 798 fewer premature deaths for adults over age 30, 55 fewer premature deaths for children under age five, and 819 fewer cases of chronic bronchitis in adults over age 25. (We did not have information to estimate premature mortality benefits in those aged 5 to 30.)

Using our valuation approach, we estimated total undiscounted monetized benefits of $116 million in 2010 U.S. dollars.