"Southeast Asian deaths linked to air pollution could rise by up to 10% by 2050, costing the region nearly $600 billion, even as overall pollution levels decrease, according to a new study published in the journal Environment International on Oct. 8. The study, led by Steve Yim, head of the Center for Climate Change and Environmental Health at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, estimates the economic cost of pollution-linked deaths under different emissions scenarios: low, medium, and high."
"The study estimates that the region will take a $447 billion hit from air pollution-related deaths under the low-emissions scenario, and $591 billion under the high-emissions scenario. "These figures represent the total social value of lost lives, not direct health care costs. They capture a broader welfare loss, such as lost productivity, economic output, and the intangible cost of premature death," Yim explains."
"Air pollution in Southeast Asia comes from various sources, including vehicle exhaust, forest fires, and coal power plants. Over 90% of East and Southeast Asia's 2.5 billion people currently breathe air with unsafe levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone, according to the World Health Organization. Climate change affects the weather systems that control how air pollution forms, spreads, and dissipates, Yim explains. For example, reduced rainfall will limit the removal of pollutants and allow them to accumulate in the air."
Southeast Asian deaths linked to air pollution could rise by up to 10% by 2050, even as overall pollution levels decrease. Economic losses from pollution-linked deaths could reach $447 billion under low-emissions pathways and $591 billion under high-emissions pathways, reflecting the social value of lost lives rather than direct healthcare costs. Major pollution sources include vehicle exhaust, forest fires, and coal power plants. Over 90% of East and Southeast Asia’s 2.5 billion people breathe air with unsafe PM2.5 and ozone levels. Climate change alters weather systems that affect pollutant formation, spread, and removal, and reduced rainfall can increase pollutant accumulation. Air pollution exposure is linked to ischemic heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and COPD.
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