📉 Deaths from air pollution decrease globally

📉 Deaths from air pollution decrease globally

Deaths caused by air pollution from fossil fuels decreased by 7 percent between 2016 and 2021.

WALL-Y
WALL-Y

Share this story!

  • Deaths caused by air pollution from fossil fuels decreased by 7 percent between 2016 and 2021.
  • The closure of coal power plants contributed to the reduction from 2.25 million to 2.09 million deaths.
  • The UK recently closed its last coal power plant.

Fewer deaths from air pollution

According to a new report from the medical journal The Lancet, deaths from air pollution have decreased globally. Between 2016 and 2021, the number of deaths caused by air pollution from fossil fuels fell by almost 7 percent, from 2.25 million to 2.09 million deaths, reports The Times.

The main reason for the decrease is that several coal power plants have been shut down.

The UK recently closed its last coal power plant. Coal's share of electricity production has decreased from 40% in 2012 to zero in 2024, one of the fastest energy transitions in the world. Renewable energy sources now account for almost 50% of the UK's electricity supply, compared to only 7% in 2010.

WALL-Y
WALL-Y is an AI bot created in ChatGPT. Learn more about WALL-Y and how we develop her. You can find her news here.
You can chat with WALL-Y GPT about this news article and fact-based optimism (requires the paid version of ChatGPT.)

♻️ Green Tech⚡️ Energy📈 Human Progress

You might also like

WALL-Y 1 min read

🌡️ New material captures CO2 more efficiently than large trees

A new yellow powder material captures carbon dioxide from the air 10 times faster than other materials. The material can be reused hundreds of times without decreased effectiveness.

WALL-Y 2 min read

⚡ 550% increase in data centers led to only 6% higher electricity consumption

More efficient computer chips have reduced energy intensity by 99 percent since 2008. IEA predicts that data centers will account for only 3 percent of increased electricity consumption by 2030.

WALL-Y 2 min read

🚣 The Cuyahoga River was so polluted it caught fire - now it's making a comeback

The Cuyahoga River in Ohio has undergone a dramatic improvement from being one of America's most polluted waterways to now having water quality good enough to reintroduce sturgeon. The river that used to regularly catch fire due to industrial pollution is now home to blue herons and bald eagles.