The Nexus of Energy Supply and Human Health
Uses of main primary energy resources, such as coal, oil, and solid biomass, are directly linked with adverse impacts on human health. Air pollution emitted from various activities in the energy supply chains is the main risk factor to human health...
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/170641498745074796/The-nexus-of-energy-supply-and-human-health http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27632 |
| Summary: | Uses of main primary energy resources,
such as coal, oil, and solid biomass, are directly linked
with adverse impacts on human health. Air pollution emitted
from various activities in the energy supply chains is the
main risk factor to human health, along with accidental and
occupational risk exposures. Estimates of premature deaths
are over four million per year for ambient air pollution
(2015) and household or indoor air pollution (2012). More
than 80 percent of the mortality from ambient air pollution
emitted from the energy supply chains occurs in developing
countries. The impact of household air pollution, mainly
from traditional biomass used for cooking and space heating,
disproportionately falls on women and children under age
five years. Acute respiratory infections, mainly caused by
household air pollution, are one of the largest categories
of deaths (64 percent) of children under age five years in
developing countries. These statistics indicate the deep
nexus between the energy supply chain and human health. Yet,
the negative implications for human health from energy use
often receive inadequate consideration. It is critically
important to take account of these human health impacts in
developing energy supply plans and energy policies in
developing countries. |
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