Air pollution responsible for 16 lakh deaths in India in 2021: Lancet report
The country is estimated to have lost 181 billion labour hours due to extreme heat in 2023, resulting in a loss of over Rs 11 lakh crore in income for citizens.
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Air pollution caused 16 lakh deaths in India in 2021, with emissions from fossil fuels such as coal and liquid natural gas being responsible for 38% of them, according to a report by medical journal The Lancet.
The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2024, released on Tuesday, highlighted that the continued use of fossil fuels and biomass contributes significantly to air pollution, raising the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders, adverse pregnancy outcomes and overall disease burden and mortality.
The report found that renewable energy use in India has increased since 2000, providing a record 11% of the country’s electricity in 2022. However, coal still accounts for 71% of India’s electricity generation, underlining the need for an immediate transition to clean energy sources.
In 2022, India accounted for 15.8% of global consumption-based PM [particulate matter] 2.5 emissions and 16.9% of production-based emissions, making it the second-highest emitter of PM2.5 worldwide, the report noted.
PM2.5 refers to tiny airborne particles about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair and can easily be breathed into the lungs and the bloodstream.
The Lancet report also noted that 2023 was the hottest year on record globally, marked by extreme temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns. This led to...
