Dirty fuels a health crisis time bomb
Air pollution from burning fossil fuels is killing too many people. Asia and sub-Saharan Africa will suffer the most
Air pollution kills 6.5m people every year and is more deadly than HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis and road injuries combined, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Polluting energy production and inefficient or unregulated use of energy are the biggest culprits and the problem is only going to get worse. Fuel combustion will increase steadily between now and 2040 – to meet an anticipated rise in global energy demand of a third. This will cause deaths from outdoor air pollution to rise from around 3m a year now to 4.5m by 2040. Burning coal alone is responsible for around 60% of global combustion-related sulphur dioxide (SOx) emissions while diesel generates more than half
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