Energy saving policies could put lives at risk as global heating intensifies: study

(Eco Business, 20 Jan 2023) A post-Fukushima campaign to pressure Japanese citizens to slash household energy consumption led to a spike in heat-related deaths, according to a new study. As global heating intensifies, could policies to save energy kill people?

Scientists are warning that government policies to rein in energy consumption, partly in response to high power prices, could be putting people’s lives at risk. 

A study that examined the results of a campaign launched by the Japanese government in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster showed a spike in mortality among citizens who tried to save energy by powering down their household cooling devices. 

According to the research published on Wedneday, as the government then shut down the country’s nuclear reactors, citizens were pressured to curb their energy consumption, with many turning off their air-conditioners to save power. Air-conditioners are one of the most energy-intensive household appliances.

Researchers from the Universities of Hong Kong and Berkeley, California estimate that 7,710 people died prematurely every year as a result of Japan’s energy-saving policies. Around 60 per cent of these excess deaths occurred during the summer, suggesting that a reduction in air-conditioning was a contributing factor.

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Eco Business, 20 Jan 2023: Energy saving policies could put lives at risk as global heating intensifies: study