How coal power increases infant mortality

Syllabus subtopic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Prelims and Mains focus: about the findings of the study and its significance

News: More than 70% of India’s power generation comes from coal, a dependence that comes with serious health consequences, according to research.

Findings of the research on harmful impact of coal-fired power plants

In a study, Geoffrey Barrows of the École Polytechnique and others find that the expansion of coal-based power generation can have adverse effects on infant mortality through increased pollution levels in the form of nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Coal power plants are responsible for around 60% of NO2 emissions in the country, according to their estimates.

The researchers use gridded pollution data between 1996-2015 and district-level infant mortality rates to show that the expansion of coal power generation in India has increased infant mortality significantly.

Specifically, they show that 1 gigawatt (GW) rise in coal power generation capacity increases NO2 levels by 7.6% and, consequently, infant mortality by 14%.

In contrast, a similar increase in power capacity in the US results in only a 4.8% increase in infant mortality. The authors attribute the difference to the technology used in Indian plants, higher baseline pollution and the type of coal used in India.

When compared to imported coal, Indian coal has higher ash content and releases more pollutants. The authors, therefore, caution against the new policy of the Indian government to place curbs on imported coal.

They also find that cities are more vulnerable to the effects of coal-burning as these are areas with higher pollution levels and older coal-fired power plants.

Taken together, the authors estimate that the health costs of coal power plants outweigh any local economic benefits. Much of the power produced in plants is transmitted elsewhere. They say environmental regulations need to target the use of domestic coal and older plants located in polluted areas.

Source: mint

Join Our Telegram

World bank logistic performance index 2023

World bank logistic performance index 2023

28 Apr, 23
SHARE

World bank logistic performance index 2023 India is now ranked 38th out of 139 nations in the Logistic Performance Index (LPI) 2023 of the World Bank. From its previous rankings of 44th in 2018 and 54th in 2014, this is a notable improvement. Earlier, the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) Report 2022 was published by the Mini

Smuggling of Gold

28 Apr, 23
SHARE

Smuggling of Gold Airports discovered more than 63% of this illegal gold. The Department of Revenue Intelligence recently conducted the Golden Dawn Operation across India, seizing 101.7 kg of illegal gold valued at Rs 51 crore. Despite the fact that India receives a legal import of about 800-1,000 tonnes of gold each year, the illicit mar

India-Thailand Relations

27 Apr, 23
SHARE

India-Thailand Relations Both parties expressed satisfaction with the ongoing bilateral defence cooperation at the 8th India-Thailand Defence Dialogue, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand. Cultural ties and mutual cooperation that have been shaped by thousands of years of lasting historical and cultural ties characterise India and Thailand

Translocation of Elephants

27 Apr, 23
SHARE

Translocation of Elephants The Kerala government's appeal of the order of the Kerala High Court is rejected by the Supreme Court. The Kerala government's appeal against the Kerala High Court's directive to move Arikomban (Wild Elephant), the "rice tusker" of Munnar, to the Parambikulam tiger reserve was recently dismis

Global Buddhist Summit

26 Apr, 23
SHARE

Global Buddhist Summit In order to improve diplomatic and cultural ties with other nations, the Ministry of Culture recently organised the First Global Buddhist Summit 2023 in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC). About the summit "Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis" is