Droughts Cause Deadly Air Pollution Spikes
- When water levels are below normal in Latin America, air pollution spikes, resulting in thousands of premature deaths, according to a new study.
- Hydropower provides approximately half of the electricity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), with the remainder primarily coming from combustion plants fueled by coal, oil,...
- When dams experience low water levels, the region relies on backup power sources, such as fossil fuel and biomass plants.
Droughts in Latin America Lead to Increased Air Pollution and Premature Deaths
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When water levels are below normal in Latin America, air pollution spikes,
resulting in thousands of premature deaths, according to a new study. The
increase in air pollution isn’t due to dust storms or wildfires,but rather
the shift in electricity generation when rainfall decreases.
Hydropower and Combustion Plants
Hydropower provides approximately half of the electricity in Latin America
and the Caribbean (LAC), with the remainder primarily coming from combustion
plants fueled by coal, oil, gas, or biomass. Hydropower relies on consistent
river flows, which droughts can disrupt.
When dams experience low water levels, the region relies on backup power
sources, such as fossil fuel and biomass plants. Thes plants release fine
particulate matter (PM2.5), tiny airborne particles that can cause serious
health problems.
Study Findings
The research, led by mathilda Eriksson and Alejandro del Valle (Georgia State
University) and Alejandro de la Fuente (World bank), analyzed 20 years of
data from over 3,000 power plants to determine the impact of droughts on PM2.5
pollution and associated mortality.
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When hydropower is limited by drought, power generation shifts to
combustion plants, leading to an average increase of 0.83 micrograms per
cubic meter (μg/m) in PM2.5 levels near these plants. This is a notable
increase, especially in areas already exceeding the World Health
Organization’s guideline of 5 μg/m.
Impact and Economic Losses
The study estimates that drought-related shifts to combustion power plants
cause between 3,700 and 10,600 premature deaths annually in the region,
resulting in $4.2-12.2 billion in annual economic losses. Cumulative losses
from 2000-2020 reached approximately $150 billion.
A large population is exposed to this pollution: 443 million people live
within 50 kilometers of a power plant in Latin America. Moreover,
four out of five combustion plants are located near communities with
lower-than-average United Nations Human Progress Index scores, meaning
vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected.
Future Projections
Climate models predict that this problem will worsen between 2020 and 2059,
with most of LAC expected to experience… (article incomplete).