Environment

Greenpeace warns air pollution causes 4.5 million premature deaths each year worldwide

Manila, Feb 12 (EFE/EPA).- Air pollution from fossil fuels causes 4.5 million premature deaths each year worldwide, and leads to global economic losses of around $2.9 trillion, Greenpeace warned Wednesday.The Toxic Air Report: The Price of Fossil Fuels compiled by Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air said $8 billion dollars are lost every day as a result of fossil fuel air pollution, which is equivalent to 3.3 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).The study is the first to evaluate the impact of fossil fuel pollution (coal, oil and gas) on the global economy.Researchers came up with the data by calculating the cost of the millions of yearly premature deaths and how these affected productivity, as well as considering health care expenses to treat the myriad diseases caused and aggravated by pollution."Fossil fuels are not only bad for the climate, they're also bad for our health and our economy," Greenpeace Campaigner Khevin Yu said at the presentation of the report in Manila.FOOTAGE SHOWS GREENPEACE PRESS CONFERENCE OFFERED BY GREENPEACE CAMPAIGNER KHEVIN YU IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES.SOUNDBITES: KHEVIN YU, GREENPEACE CAMPAIGNER (IN ENGLISH)