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Daily Maverick
9 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Polluted SA air killed 42,000 in 2023, study finds — yet loopholes persist
Air pollution cost South Africa more than R960bn and 42,000 lives in 2023, a new report finds, but the government keeps extending emissions exemptions. In 2023 alone, 42,000 South Africans died from exposure to fine particle pollution (PM2.5), including more than 1,300 children under five, according to a new report released on 3 June by Greenpeace Africa and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The report, Unmasking the Toll of Fine Particle Pollution in South Africa, estimates that PM2.5 pollution cost the country more than R960-billion in 2023 – equivalent to 14% of GDP – through premature deaths, illness, lost productivity and overburdened health systems. PM2.5 refers to airborne particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres, mainly formed by burning coal and fuel. These particles, as CREA analyst Lauri Myllyvirta previously explained to Daily Maverick, are 'small enough to pass from lungs to the bloodstream and wreak havoc on all our internal organs'. Communities in the Highveld region and Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces, which are home to the country's largest coal-fired power plants and industrial zones, are hardest hit. Professor Rajen Naidoo, head of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said that the report adds to reports over the years which have emphasised the serious health risks faced by South Africans due to air pollution and its inadequate regulation. 'While the headlines are likely to be grabbed by the number of deaths (rightly so), it must be borne in mind that for every death, there are those with disabling chronic conditions caused by air pollution,' said Naidoo. He highlighted that the report captured this through the measure called years lived with disability (YLD). According to the report, in 2023, exposure to PM2.5 particles led to more than 100,000 years lived with disability in South Africa, due to chronic diseases like lung and heart conditions, strokes, and diabetes: 'Exposure to PM2.5 also contributes significantly to chronic diseases and disabilities of the overall population. Annual exposure to PM2.5 is associated with 26,000 years lived with disability (YLDs) due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; 20,000 YLDs due to stroke; 64,000 YLDs due to diabetes; and 19,000 due to Alzheimer's and other dementias.' 'The real burden lies in the most disadvantaged communities near coal-fired power stations, already marginalised and now also carrying the health burden,' said Naidoo. He said children in these areas were affected even before birth, with pollution and poverty combining to weaken immune systems, stunt development and trap families in cycles of poor health. A call to end exemptions 'Science is unequivocal,' said Cynthia Moyo, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Africa. 'The air South Africans breathe is toxic, and the corporations driving this crisis must no longer be protected by silence or inaction.' Greenpeace Africa is calling for: An immediate end to air pollution exemptions for major emitters; Full enforcement of national air quality standards; A just transition to renewable energy that centres affected communities; and Public access to real-time pollution data. The report also shows that if South Africa were to follow the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality standards guidelines for PM2.5, it could prevent up to 33,000 deaths a year. The WHO's guideline for PM2.5 is five micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) as an annual average. South Africa's existing national standards for PM2.5 are pretty weak at 20 µg/m³ annual average, but it isn't even meeting those. The report found that South Africans were breathing air with 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 on average. The report points out that if South Africa were to meet existing national standards (20 µg/m³ annual average), it could save more than 9,000 lives annually. Why do we emit more than the law allows? The National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act sets both Minimum Emission Standards (MES), which industries are allowed to emit, and Ambient Air Quality Standards, the pollution limits for outdoor air. In 2020, the MES for total particulate matter was updated to 50 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/Nm³), down from 100 mg/Nm³. Even with a decreased limit, this remains far higher than global benchmarks. Even so, Eskom could not comply. Instead, it applied for and received exemptions. As Daily Maverick has reported, Eskom has repeatedly secured postponements and exemptions from complying with MES. In March 2025, the government granted further exemptions for several power stations, citing the need to avert deepening the country's electricity crisis. While the exemptions come with 'strict conditions' – including pollution controls, air quality monitoring and emissions reporting – critics say these are seldom enforced with rigour or transparency. The 2022 high court ruling in the 'Deadly Air' case found that the government's failure to enforce air quality standards in the Highveld Priority Area violated residents' constitutional rights. Yet, the latest exemptions suggest energy security continues to trump environmental and health concerns. The CREA/Greenpeace report argues that these exemptions have enabled major polluters, particularly Eskom, to delay emissions reductions, prolonging dangerously high pollution levels. The report urges the government to end exemptions, tighten enforcement and align air quality standards with the WHO's latest guidelines. 'South Africa's Constitution guarantees the right to a healthy environment, but that right is being violated every day by polluters,' added Dr Jamie Kelly, health impact assessment team lead at CREA. 'Communities deserve clean air, not corporate impunity.' How do we know PM2.5 kills? The report's estimates are based on globally recognised models that link PM2.5 exposure to premature deaths from heart disease, stroke, respiratory illness and more. Dr Rosa Gierens, data scientist and co-author of the report, explained that these integrated exposure-response functions, endorsed by the WHO, use decades of large epidemiological studies to estimate 'excess deaths' – lives lost due to unsafe air. Research consistently shows that when PM2.5 levels fall, mortality also decreases. The report combined PM2.5 concentrations (sourced from satellite data, ground monitoring and atmospheric models) with population and health data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database to calculate health impacts. This approach, used in peer-reviewed global health research, allows researchers to estimate disease risk across age groups and conditions while adjusting for factors such as smoking and income. Profits over people 'Behind these deaths lies a simple truth: polluters are poisoning our air and putting profits above people,' said Greenpeace Africa. As Jesse Burton from the Energy Systems Research Group at UCT p reviously told Daily Maverick, 'Air pollution control might seem like a 'nice to have', but pollution has very real impacts on people's lives and livelihoods, including sickness, premature deaths and work days lost.' Naidoo also questioned who truly benefited from 'cheap' coal power. 'Coal provides cheap electricity for the major industrial enterprises with their tax privileges, while the state then has to take care of those who suffer the health consequences of air pollution.' DM
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Deadly air pollution threatens lives
A new report from Greenpeace Africa and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), released on June 3, has sent shockwaves across South Africa, revealing a devastating public health crisis linked to air pollution. In 2023 alone, 42 000 South Africans lost their lives due to fine particle pollution (PM2.5), with more than 1 300 of those deaths being children under the age of five. PM 2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles in the air with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less. These particles can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. They are a common air pollutant found in various sources like car exhausts, coal-fired power stations, and industrial emissions. How small is 2.5 micrometres? Think about a single hair from your head. The average human hair is about 70 micrometres in diameter, making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle. The report, titled Unmasking the Toll of Fine Particle Pollution in South Africa, paints a grim picture of the state of air quality in the country, with Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and the Highveld Priority Area bearing the brunt of the pollution's lethal impact. In Gauteng, over 16 000 deaths were attributed to the effects of PM2.5 pollution in 2023 alone. The province is home to some of the largest coal-fired power plants and industrial zones in the country, making it a hotspot for pollution. The findings underscore a growing concern that South African communities are living in an environment where the air they breathe is contributing directly to their deaths. The culprits behind this crisis are well-known: large industrial giants in the coal and energy sectors, particularly Eskom, which operates one of the world's largest fleets of coal-powered plants. The report shows in total, Eskom emits more sulfur dioxide (SO2). It is a gaseous air pollutant composed of sulfur and oxygen that forms when sulfur-containing fuel such as coal, petroleum oil or diesel is burned in the entire power sectors of the European Union, the USA or China. 'Ironically, while South Africa's Constitution guarantees the right to a healthy environment, this right is being trampled every day,' said Ibrahima Ka Ndoye, international communications co-ordinator at Greenpeace Africa. 'The corporations responsible for the majority of pollution are prioritising profits over people, and this is an unacceptable tragedy.' The report estimates that exposure to PM2.5 in South Africa costs the country R960-billion in 2023. This figure accounts for premature deaths, respiratory illnesses, lost workplace productivity, and strained healthcare systems. The pollution's toll on human life is deeply entrenched, as evidenced by the communities in the Highveld region, which have long been at the epicentre of South Africa's coal industry. The report specifies that in Gauteng cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria, industrial activity is a major contributor to the region's poor air quality. A total of 35% of the PM2.5 pollution in Johannesburg can be traced to power plants and other industries, according to the Clean Air Fund's report. The report also singles Pretoria out as a city grappling with fine particle pollution, of which a third can be attributed to mining activities. 'We have to ask ourselves: How many more lives must be lost before action is taken?' said Cynthia Moyo, Climate and Energy campaigner at Greenpeace Africa. 'The science is clear: the air in South Africa is toxic. But it's not just about environmental health. It's about social justice. The people most affected by this pollution are often those who are already facing economic hardships.' Despite mounting evidence and numerous calls for action, Eskom, the state-owned utility responsible for a substantial portion of South Africa's electricity generation, continues to fall short on pollution controls. Eskom has repeatedly sought exemptions from environmental regulations, citing the cost of upgrading emissions-control technology and delaying plant decommissioning. The report highlights that aligning South Africa's air quality standards with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines could prevent up to 33 000 deaths annually. 'The time to act is now. We cannot continue to allow polluters to profit at the expense of human lives,' said Moyo. 'Communities across South Africa deserve clean air, healthy environments, and a future free from the dangers of toxic pollution.' The situation has reached a breaking point, and Greenpeace Africa is calling for bold, immediate action. Ka Ndoye said the organisation's key recommendations include an immediate end to exemptions from air pollution limits for major emitters such as Eskom, enforcement of national air quality standards to ensure public health is protected, and a just transition away from coal to renewable energy. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Age
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
The rumours were true: China's greenhouse gas emissions are falling
It began last year with some optimistic projections. Climate scientists studying emissions data from China detected a positive signal. There were signs that the world's single largest climate polluter might have halted the growth of its greenhouse emissions. Perhaps it had even begun to drive them down. If this was true, it was a remarkable achievement. China had not been expected to meet this goal until 2030. This is a sign of hope, says Laurie Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and senior fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute. Myllyvirta detected the trend in 2023 and reported it in an analysis for Carbon Brief, a British publication specialising in climate change science and policy. But the data back then was not yet clear. China's emissions may have peaked, or may have been about to. Now the evidence is in. China's emissions were down 1.6 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025 and by 1 per cent in the latest 12 months, according to Myllyvirta's analysis of new economic and climate data. China's rapid deployment of electricity supply from new wind and solar infrastructure as well as hydro and nuclear, alongside its efforts to electrify its economy – particularly through the rapid roll-out of electric vehicles – has displaced coal and oil use and thereby cut emissions.
Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The rumours were true: China's greenhouse gas emissions are falling
It began last year with some optimistic projections. Climate scientists studying emissions data from China detected a positive signal. There were signs that the world's single largest climate polluter might have halted the growth of its greenhouse emissions. Perhaps it had even begun to drive them down. If this was true, it was a remarkable achievement. China had not been expected to meet this goal until 2030. This is a sign of hope, says Laurie Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and senior fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute. Myllyvirta detected the trend in 2023 and reported it in an analysis for Carbon Brief, a British publication specialising in climate change science and policy. But the data back then was not yet clear. China's emissions may have peaked, or may have been about to. Now the evidence is in. China's emissions were down 1.6 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025 and by 1 per cent in the latest 12 months, according to Myllyvirta's analysis of new economic and climate data. China's rapid deployment of electricity supply from new wind and solar infrastructure as well as hydro and nuclear, alongside its efforts to electrify its economy – particularly through the rapid roll-out of electric vehicles – has displaced coal and oil use and thereby cut emissions.
HKFP
20-05-2025
- Climate
- HKFP
Record May heat scorches north, central China: state media
Swathes of northern and central China sweltered this week under record May heat, state media said Tuesday, with temperatures rising well above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in several major cities. China has endured spates of extreme weather events, from searing heat and drought to downpours and floods, for several summers running. The country is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, but also a renewable energy powerhouse seeking to cut carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2060. State broadcaster CCTV said Tuesday that multiple cities logged all-time May highs this week. They included Zhengzhou, a metropolis of 13 million people in central Henan province, which saw a high of 41°C on Monday, CCTV said. In nearby Linzhou, temperatures rose to 43.2°C, while the small city of Shahe in northern Hebei province logged 42.9°C, the national weather office said in a social media post on Monday. As of 4:00 pm on Monday, 99 weather stations nationwide had matched or exceeded previous temperature records for May, the weather office said. '(It's so hot) in Zhengzhou that I'm covered in sweat just from cycling for 10 minutes in a skirt and sun-protective top,' one user wrote on the Weibo social media platform. 'Any chance you could send a few degrees up to the northeast? It's still freezing here,' quipped another. The weather office said the extreme heat was set to dissipate by Friday, adding that some areas would see rapid drops of up to 15°C. It urged people to 'add extra layers of clothing in a timely way as the weather changes, (to avoid) catching a cold'. Embed from Getty Images Last year, dozens of people were killed and thousands evacuated during storms across China that caused severe flooding. China is the biggest global producer of the greenhouse gases scientists say drive climate change and make extreme weather more frequent and intense. Beijing aims to bring carbon emissions to a peak this decade ahead of sharp cuts through to 2060, and has dramatically ramped up wind and solar energy installations in recent years as it seeks to wean its huge economy off highly polluting coal. Emissions peaking? China's emissions fell in the first quarter of 2025 despite rapidly growing power demand, analysis published last week showed, seen as a key milestone in the country's decarbonisation push. New wind, solar and nuclear capacity meant CO2 emissions fell by 1.6 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, and one percent in the 12 months to March, said analyst Lauri Myllyvirta at the Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Last month, China's national energy body said wind and solar energy capacity had surpassed that of mostly coal-powered thermal for the first time. It added that wind and solar additions had 'far exceeded' the total increase in electricity consumption, a trend that experts said may mean carbon emissions from the power sector are on the verge of peaking. Despite the renewable energy boom, China also began construction on 94.5 gigawatts of coal power projects in 2024, 93 percent of the global total, according to a February report from CREA and the US-based Global Energy Monitor (GEM). China's coal production has risen steadily in recent years, from 3.9 billion tons in 2020 to 4.8 billion tons in 2024.
