A staggering 6.5 million deaths each year can be attributed to air pollution, and these numbers are expected to only rise unless the energy sector takes greater action to curb emissions. Of these 6.5 million deaths annually, 3 million deaths are linked to outdoor air pollution, and 3.5 million deaths are linked to household air pollution, particularly from traditional cookstoves burning kerosene or other polluting substances. The good news? Poor air quality is not set in stone; it’s a policy choice, argues the International Energy Agency (IEA).

A special report by IEA highlights this link between energy, air pollution, and health, and identifies the actions that the energy sector can make to curb air pollution, the fourth-largest threat to human health globally after high blood pressure, poor diet, and smoking. The report presents strategies tailored to various country circumstances to deliver cleaner air for all. A Clean Air Scenario demonstrates how energy policy choices backed by just a 7% increase in total energy investment through 2040 produce a sharp improvement in health.

Learn more and download this new report, “Energy and Air Pollution,” in the link below: