Outdoor Air Pollution Claims 2.18 Million Lives Annually; Heart Disease, Stroke Most Common;y Observed: Study

The study, conducted by an international team of researchers, found that 5.1 million people die each year around the world due to air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels in industry, power generation, and transportation. The highest number of deaths from ambient air pollution was recorded in South and East Asia, with China being the most affected country, seeing 2.44 million deaths per year.

The majority of these deaths (82%) were caused by fine particles (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) in ambient air. The most common causes of death related to air pollution were ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive lung disease, and diabetes.

The study also found that phasing out fossil fuels could have a larger impact on reducing mortality than previously thought, with the largest reductions in deaths expected in South, South East, and East Asia. In these regions, phasing out fossil fuels could prevent up to 3.85 million deaths annually, which represents 80-85% of deaths from all anthropogenic sources of ambient air pollution.

The study used data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study, NASA satellite-based fine particulate matter and population data, and atmospheric chemistry, aerosol, and relative risk modelling for 2019. The researchers suggest that replacing fossil fuels with clean, renewable energy sources would have tremendous public health and climate co-benefits, which align with the Paris Climate Agreement's goal of climate neutrality by 2050.

The researchers also urge that the forthcoming COP28 climate change negotiations in the United Arab Emirates place a high priority on addressing the public health risks associated with fossil fuel-related air pollution.

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The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.