Climate change and pollution will kill 30 million people a year by the end of the century

The consequences of climate change and air pollution could cause up to 30 million deaths a year by 2100, according to a study by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany.

This disturbing conclusion was reached using modern numerical simulations to estimate mortality caused by extreme temperatures and air pollution.

According to the leader of the study, Andrea Pozer, about 1.6 million people died each year at the beginning of this century as a result of extreme heat or cold.

This number is expected to increase sevenfold by the end of the century, reaching 10.8 million deaths. Meanwhile, air pollution, which caused 4.1 million deaths each year at the beginning of the century, could reach 19.6 million deaths annually by the end of the century.

The study was published shortly after a UN report that warned of a catastrophic increase in global temperature of 3.1 degrees Celsius during this century. yahoonews.

The project analyzed the period from 2000 to 2090, including ten-year intervals.

The results show that the number of deaths will vary significantly depending on the region. South and East Asia are expected to be hardest hit, due to aging populations and extreme air pollution.

In high-income countries, such as Western Europe, North America, Australia and the Pacific regions, deaths from extreme temperatures will be higher than those from air pollution.

Countries like the USA, England, France, Japan and New Zealand are already experiencing this trend. Experts warn that the risk of extreme temperatures will increase, also affecting countries such as Poland, Romania and parts of South America.

In addition, scientists warn of a sea level rise of up to 1.2 meters by 2300, even if the targets set by the Paris Climate Conference in 2015 are met.

However, none of the 200 governments that have signed the Paris Agreement are on track to meet its targets, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero by the second half of the century. This highlights the urgency for immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change. /Telegraph/