Stopping climate change could 'save millions of lives'

Millions of lives throughout the world could be saved by undertaking works to reduce climate change. Cutting down on the levels of air pollution emitted could help to improve human health and cut down on the number of air pollution-related premature deaths that occur each year, according to a new study.

Not only does air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels contribute to global warming, it also has a number of health implications. Air pollution has been linked to a number of health problems, including heart disease and lung cancer, which can result in premature deaths. The study, performed at the University of North Carolina and published in the journal 'Nature Climate Change', suggests that working to reduce climate change could help to cut down on the number of air pollution-related diseases and save lives.

Researchers compared two possible futures with different levels of air pollution and used these figures to estimate the impact both possibilities would have on human health. The first of the scenarios represented a future in which aggressive action had been taken to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and stabilise climate change, while the second possible future represented one in which no action had been taken.

It was found that the scenario in which air pollution had been massively reduced resulted in a vast improvement in human health. Between 300,000 and 700,000 premature deaths would be avoided each year in 2030, if the strict measures were implemented. These numbers would increase to between 800,000 and 1.8 million a year by 2050 and then to between 1.4 million and three million by 2100.

The reduction in the number of premature deaths worldwide could also have economic benefits, according to the research. Avoiding deaths that are related to air pollution and climate change could create a saving of between $50 (£31) to $380 for every tonne of carbon dioxide that is reduced in the atmosphere.