"Energy and Air Pollution": World Energy Outlook team stresses the value of clean air

It is difficult to imagine that around 18 000 people die each day as a result of air pollution. Nevertheless, according to the World Health Organization, those 6.5 million deaths per year (2012 data) that are attributed to air pollution exceed the number of deaths from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and road injuries combined. This is more that one-in-every-nine deaths worldwide. Eastern Europe is highly exposed to air pollution. In this region and worldwide, energy production is one of the causes at the origin of air pollution.  In this new study, the International Energy Agency looks at the role of energy in air pollution.

" Governments, at all levels, are far from powerless to tackle this issue: proven policies and technologies are available to address energy-related air pollution."

How can EU policies and practices help partner countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, where costs of air pollution are very high, in their efforts to ensure people with cleaner air? The study offers a few recommendations.

Readers' views are most welcome as well: let us know what priority actions could be taken in this context.