Fossil-Fuel Air Pollution May Be Responsible for ONE IN FIVE DEATHS Worldwide

Worldwide each year, an estimated one in five deaths (18% – 21.5%) may be attributable to fossil-fuel pollution, a much higher figure than previously thought. A new study coauthored in the United Kingdom points to these results.

Environmental Research published the study, which estimates that exposure to airborne fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) from burning fossil fuels causes 8.7 million premature deaths each year (95% CI; −1.8 to 14.0).

The main fossil-fuel-related diseases are respiratory conditions such as asthma, lung cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke.

Until now, the Global Burden of Disease Study has put the total annual number of deaths from all outdoor PM _2.5 at 4.2 million. Previous research relied on satellite and surface observations to estimate average global annual airborne PM _2.5 concentrations, but these methods cannot distinguish particles from fossil-fuel emissions from particles originating from dust, wildfire smoke, or other sources.

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The recent analysis discussed in this article examined mortality associated only with PM _2.5 from fossil-fuel combustion and used a recent meta-analysis of newer studies with a broader exposure range.

Relative mortality risks were modeled using functions relating long-term PM _2.5 exposure to mortality and incorporating nonlinearity into the concentration response. Mortality from lower respiratory infections among children under five in the Americas and Europe was also adjusted for PM _2.5 exposure in regions with reliable data on the relative risk of this health outcome.

The greatest mortality impact was estimated for areas with substantial fossil-fuel-related PM _2.5 , particularly China, India, parts of the eastern United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Globally, exposure to PM _2.5 from fossil-fuel emissions accounted for an estimated 21.5% of total deaths in 2012, falling to 18% in 2018 thanks to air quality measures in China.

The authors hope their findings will give policymakers a greater sense of urgency about switching to alternative energy sources.

The Photograph Above: This photograph from 2016 shows air pollution reaching very serious levels in Beijing, China's capital. The sun and blue sky have almost become invisible. One consequence is that people living in the city are more prone to depression because of the overcast conditions. Apparently, giant billboards erected in the city center are intended to reduce this negative environment to some extent.