The Washington Post reported that new research published in Lancet Planetary Health on the 17th showed that pollution remains the world's leading cause of disease and premature death. From 2015 to 2019, air pollution, water pollution or toxic chemical pollution caused 9 million deaths each year, and more than 90% occurred in low- and middle-income countries, exceeding the annual death toll caused by war, terrorism, road injuries, malaria, drugs and alcohol.
Air pollution causes the most premature deaths, but indoor pollution sources have eased
The study, which analyzed data on the global burden of disease, injuries, and risk factors in 2019, found that air pollution was the leading cause of premature death, resulting in 6.7 million deaths. Water pollution caused 1.4 million deaths, while lead poisoning caused nearly 1 million. Lead author Richard Fuller and his team have been conducting similar analyses since 2015, extending their analysis to 2019.
While the total number of pollution-related deaths has remained stable over the past five years, the sources of pollution have shifted in some areas. In the past, most deaths were caused by indoor and household air pollution, including fine soot released by stoves burning wood or dung. Unclean water and untreated sewage also claimed over a million lives.
Fuller said this source of pollution has decreased in recent years as many households in China and India have switched to gas cooking.
The rise of modern pollution sources: fossil fuels, internal combustion engines, and toxic chemicals
But that's the only good news in the report. While traditional pollution sources have decreased, they have been replaced by fossil fuel combustion, automobile internal combustion engines, and toxic chemical pollution. These "modern" pollution sources pose greater health risks in developing countries.
In 2019, outdoor air pollution and toxic chemicals caused more deaths than indoor air and water pollution in more than half of countries worldwide. For example, in China, industrial and chemical pollution killed over 2 million people, while traditional pollution sources caused approximately 367,000 deaths. However, in Africa, while industrial pollution is a growing problem, traditional pollutants remain the leading cause of pollution-related illness and death.
Fuller and his colleagues found that deaths from these "modern" pollution sources increased by 7% from 2015 to 2019 and have soared by 66% since 2000.
Rich countries outsource pollution, leading to 2 million air pollution deaths in 20 largest economies
These deaths also cost a country’s gross domestic product (GDP). In South Asia, deaths from air pollution alone resulted in a 10.3% loss of GDP in 2019. Globally, air pollution-related deaths reduce economic output by 6.1%.
Countries implementing carbon reduction measures and developing renewable energy are expected to reduce pollution deaths.
Fuller said that if countries truly implement their own carbon reduction plans, they could potentially reduce the causes of pollution-related deaths, such as air pollution. For example, renewable energy would reduce the burning of fossil fuels, thereby improving air quality. Ideally, if these plans are successful, Nanzhai said, the number of deaths from air pollution should no longer be so high.
Nanzhai stated, "(Holding temperature rise to no more than) 1.5°C is the shared goal of the world... Deaths related to fossil fuel pollution should not increase further." Economic activity also declined in 2020 due to the pandemic. "We need to ensure that the number of premature deaths has peaked in 2019 and continues to decline going forward," Nanzhai said.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/234126)
