Early Coal Phase-Out in Region Can Save Lives

Coal plant Nikola Tesla/EPS/PETAR VUJANIC

The gradual phasing out of coal power in the Western Balkans by 2030 instead of 2050 will contribute to a reduction in illness and early deaths and improve the productivity of people and economy, it was stated in the report of the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) published on Dec. 8.

The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that no level of air pollution could be considered "safe" and that breathing in particulate matter, even at low levels, could lead to physiological changes in the body that damage health. "Poor air quality is also linked to chronic and acute respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis and the aggravation of asthma, which significantly degrades the quality of life. Scientists continue to identify new ways in which air pollution can harm health. For example, there is increasing evidence linking air pollution to dementia," reads the report of HEAL.

The report "Curing chronic coal – How an early coal power phase out in the Western Balkan region can save lives, improve health and strengthen the economy," reads that the gradual phasing out of energy obtained from coal by 2030 instead of 2050 would result in avoiding of 272,993 days with asthma symptoms among asthmatic children, and 32,476 cases of bronchitis among healthy children.