Share this on social media
Three Americans create enough carbon emissions to kill one person, study finds
(The Guardian, 29 Jul 2021) The analysis draws on public health studies that conclude that for every 4,434 metric tons of CO2 produced, one person globally will die.
The lifestyles of around three average Americans will create enough planet-heating emissions to kill one person, and the emissions from a single coal-fired power plant is likely to result in more than 900 deaths, according to the first analysis to calculate the mortal cost of carbon emissions.
The new research builds upon what is known as the “social cost of carbon”, a monetary figure placed upon the damage caused by each ton of carbon dioxide emissions, by assigning an expected death toll from the emissions that cause the climate crisis.
The analysis draws upon several public health studies to conclude that for every 4,434 metric tons of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere beyond the 2020 rate of emissions, one person globally will die prematurely from the increased temperature. This additional CO2 is equivalent to the current lifetime emissions of 3.5 Americans
The Guardian, 29 Jul 2021: Three Americans create enough carbon emissions to kill one person, study finds
