New study links air pollution to 15 percent of COVID-19 deaths

Boston, February 10 (RHC)-- A new report finds fossil fuel pollution was responsible for 8.7 million, or one in five, global deaths in 2018 — far higher than previously thought. 

The study, conducted by Harvard and other universities, found regions with the highest concentrations of particulate matter from fossil fuels had the worst mortality rates and include China and India, as well as eastern North America and Europe.

In related news, a report released this week by the Natural Resource Governance Institute says state-owned fossil fuel companies plan to invest $1.9 trillion over the next decade in projects that would make it impossible to meet the Paris Climate Agreement goals.