Research report 2024 - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Phasing out fossil fuels could save millions of lives
Authors
Lelieveld, Jos; Haines, Andy; Burnett, Richard; Tonne, Cathryn; Klingmüller, Klaus; Münzel, Thomas; Pozzer, Andrea
Departments
Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Mainz
Summary
Our study at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry provides new arguments for the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels. We analyzed the effects of air pollution on health and its impact on the population. The allocation of total mortality and disease-specific deaths to specific emission sources shows that a global phase-out of fossil fuels could prevent around five million deaths annually that are attributable to them.