Fossil fuel-related air pollution took the lives of over 8 million people around the world in 2018 according to new research. This is approximately double the amount of deaths that researchers had previously attributed to air pollution coming from fossil sources.
For the study, researchers relied on GEOS-Chem, which creates a 3-D model of atmospheric chemistry. GEOS-Chem has high spatial resolution, allowing researchers to study pollution levels within 50 kilometer by 60 kilometers grids rather than relying on averages over much larger regions, allowing for a level of precision previously unattainable. The researchers computed PM2.5 levels by inputting estimates of emissions from sectors such as power, aircraft and ground transportation into GEOS-Chem. With that, they could simulate detailed oxidant-aerosol chemistry supported by meteorology from NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office.
Using this data, researchers developed a notably more precise risk assessment model that found a higher mortality rate for long-term fossil fuel emissions exposure, including at lower concentrations. Researchers hope to underscore to stakeholders and policymakers that reliance on fossil fuels is more lethal to human health than previously thought, and can be so in smaller doses.
According to additional findings published in the journal Environmental Research, regions of the world with the highest mortality rates were correlated with the highest concentrations of fossil fuel pollution: North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. As reported in the Hindustan Times, Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Analysis of IQAir data suggests that at least 12,000 deaths in Bengaluru, India were a result of air pollution and related causes. One prominent cause of poor air quality is vehicular pollution. In Bengaluru, there are about 11,463 vehicles per square kilometer of space, making 9.4 million total vehicles over the 820 km2 that make up the city. According to the same study, other major Indian cities have a significant amount of air pollution-related deaths: 54,000 in New Delhi and 25,000 in Mumbai. In North America and Europe air pollution is caused by four main sources including mobile (e.g. cars, trains, planes) as well as stationary (e.g. power plants, industrial facilities, factories), area (e.g. agricultural land, cities) and natural (e.g. wildfires, volcanoes).
These findings serve as a dark reminder to us all about the deadly impact of fossil fuel emissions on the state of global health and the importance of policy decisions that understand the deep links between our environment, fossil fuel use, and our health.
