Eskom Impact Assessed By Trawling Through Death Records
- Study is first to use actual data rather than modeling
- South Africa is one of the world’s most coal-dependent nations
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South African scientists plan to examine about 8.5 million death certificates to ascertain how many people the country’s dependence on coal for electricity is killing.
The review is the first of its kind in Africa in that it will depend on actual data rather than modeling the effects of air pollution on health. It’s the latest attempt to understand the health impacts of the country’s fleet of 14 coal-fired power plants that supply more than 80% of the nation’s power.