south african scientist It plans to examine around 8.5 million death certificates to see how many lives are being claimed by the country's dependence on coal for electricity.
The review is the first of its kind in Africa in that it is based on real data, rather than modeling, on the health effects of air pollution. This is the latest attempt to understand the health impacts of the 14 coal-fired power plants that provide more than 80% of the country's electricity.
“We're going to provide the most comprehensive review. We're going to analyze mortality rates,” said researcher Carady Wright, who led the study. “We look for all kinds of causes, including respiratory-related diseases and heart problems.”
Previous studies had modeled more than 2,000 deaths per year from pollution from Eskom, but the power company's own research puts the death toll at 330.
South Africa's dependence on coal makes the country of 62 million people the most carbon-intensive economy of any country with a population of more than 4 million.
The study is being carried out by scientists from the state-run South African Medical Research Council, where Wright heads the climate change and health research program. The study will look at the number of deaths from 1997 to 2021.
The money is being funded by the UK's Department for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development under a US$9.3 billion climate finance agreement between South Africa and some of the world's richest countries.
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The study aims to link mortality rates to emissions of pollutants such as particulate matter and sulfur dioxide in areas surrounding power plants, compared to areas with similar climates some distance from power plants.
It will also assess morbidity rates, such as the incidence of pneumonia and tuberculosis prevalence in children under five, as air pollution suppresses the immune systems of those exposed to it.
Read: Eskom’s Mutet Nyati: Power requires private investment
The review, with results likely to be announced in the middle of this year, comes as South Africa postpones the planned retirement of coal-fired power plants due to an inability to meet electricity demand. It also comes at a time when particulate matter pollution from Eskom is at its highest level in 31 years due to equipment failures.
Power plant emissions have been linked to a variety of illnesses and health effects, from asthma and emphysema to heart attacks and strokes, cancer and stillbirth. — (c) 2024 Bloomberg LP
