Climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss affect people’s health and generate multi-billion-euro economic losses, as a briefing produced by HEAL Poland under the patronage of the Institute of Water Economy and Meteorology of the National Research Institute and the Polish Federation of Asthma, Allergy, and COPD Patients Associations highlights.
Following new evidence of the health economic benefits of a phase out of coal power generation, HEAL has contacted decision-makers in Turkey, to underline that a swift phase out is needed in the country.
In collaboration with the Turkish Right to Clean Air Platform, a network bringing together leading Turkish health groups, we sent letters to the relevant departments and experts at the Ministries of Health, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change.
In our letters we highlighted that ending coal power generation by 2030 would avoid over 102,000 premature deaths, more than 231 million sickness days, and over 114,000 hospital admissions. Avoiding these health impacts would help cut cost from air pollution by up to 194 billion EUR.
In addition, we’ve also started to engage with decision-makers in those regions where existing coal is a particular health threat, including in Mugla.