LowEmissionAsphalt-136pg-WhitePaper-May2023

P a g e | 4 Tackling Air Pollution & Climate Change Road transportation is a vital part of the economy and along with air transport, are the most dominant modes of transportation for both people and goods, which means pavements dictate transportation. Well observed is that construction, maintenance, and utilization of our vast transportation system is responsible for enormous quantities of emissions. So, the pavement construction industry will play a critical role in society’s goal to reduce both atmospheric carbon 1 accumulations and air pollution contaminations. 2 The twin threats are both interconnected and present unique impact(s) on our environment, ecology, and health. Increasingly, scientists are studying the interactions between stratospheric and tropospheric forces. 3 To start at the beginning, Earth is unique among the planets of our solar system as it has an atmosphere. That is to say it is chemically active and rich in oxygen. Early Earth 1 carbon (from Latin carbo or ‘coal’) to mean herein not the element C, but carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions produced by burning fossil fuels and its equivalency in radiative forcing including methane and forms of nitrogen. 2 road system created or emitted pollutants including nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and microplastic particulates (MPP). 3 chemistry-climate model initiative (CCMI) ; World Climate Research Programme; United Nations IPCC.