Skip to main content

Fossil Fuels: The ‘Invisible Killer’ out to Wipe Humanity from Planet Earth

The major world ‘invisible killer’ has been revealed by researchers. Pollution resulting from the burning of fossil fuels like coal, diesel, kerosene and oil was responsible for the deaths of around 8.7 million globally in 2018. 
Countries that overly use fossil fuels as the source of energy for domestic purposes and to power vehicles recorded the highest fatalities. The study revealed that about 10 percent deaths in Europe and the US was caused as a result of air pollution.
According to the study, death rates in Africa and South America were relatively lower, while a third of the deaths in Eastern Asia were resultant effects of pollution. Those individuals who conducted the research were astounded by the death toll which was higher than what they had estimated.
The report that was published in the Journal Environmental Research (JER), indicate that the mortality rate of pollution surpassed the combined sum of those people who die globally as a result of malaria and smoking tobacco. Diseases associated with environmental pollution include respiratory ailments and heart disease.
JER report contradicts the one that was published by Lancet in 2019 which found that 4.2 million annual deaths resulted from air pollutants such as wild fire smoke, fossil fuel combustion and dust. The health impact assessment conducted by JER showed that the combustion of petrol, diesel and coal was the major source of airborne particulate matter (pm) which exacerbated the global mortality rate.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How Human Noise Kills Marine Species, as revealed by Scientists

Scientists have warned that the discord of noise made by humans is harming marine species .  A comprehensive assessment revealed that large noise from human activities was as harmful as pollution, overfishing and climate change .  The study that was conducted by the Journal Science exposed how marine animals can hear from far distances than they can see or smell. According to a report published in the Guardian, most of the marine life uses sound to catch prey as well as attracting a mating partner.  Prof Carlos Duarte of King Abdullah University in Saudi Arabia argued that: “Marine animal can only sea up to around 10 meters, smell up to around a hundred meters, but they can hear across the entire ocean basins.” The research concluded that sound “is very important in the marine ecosystems, and noise is pervasive, affecting animals at all levels .” The increasing cacophony in the marine habitat is interfering with how marine animals respond to various survival...

Why Ruto will heavily rely on Mudavadi, Joho in his reelection bid

 When Kenya president William Ruto was almost overwhelmed with gen z revolt, his landmark decision was to dismiss the entire cabinet. This occurred immediately after his refusal to sign the Finance Bill 2024/2025. Ruto endeavored to reconstitute a new cabinet, dubbed broad-based executive. He incorporated key opposition figures drawn from the ODM Party - a move that appeased the doyen of opposition Raila Amollo Odinga. Cabinet Secretaries drawn from ODM included: Hassan Ali Joho, Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, John Mbadi Ng'onga and James Opiyo Wandayi. ODM is as good as dead, and Raila's age factor limits him from flying the Party's presidential flag again and has opted out by contesting as Africa Union Commission (AUC) chairman. President Ruto will heavily rely on two members of his cabinet in his reelection bid. Both Musalia Mudavadi and Hassan Ali Joho are billionaires going by their own assertion while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments. President...

Kenya’s Quest for New Chief Justice: Unraveling Maraga’s Successor

The Judicial service Commission (JSC) began the process of seeking Kenya’s new Chief Justice (CJ) and President of the Supreme Court, on Monday April 12, 2021. 13 individuals applied for the CJ position, but after a thorough scrutiny 3 were dropped.  The process began after the clearance of ten candidates wishing to succeed former Chief Justice David Kenani Maraga. Among those cleared for interviews were: Justice Said Chitembwe, Prof Patricia Mbote, Justice Martha Koome, Justice David Marete Njagi, former DPP Philip Murgor, Justice Mathew Nduma Nderi, Senior Counsel Fred Ngatia, Justice William Ouko, Prof Moni Wekesa, and Alice Yano. JSC interviewing panel The interview panel was cast out of a nine-member bench drawn from JSC which includes: Prof Olive Mugenda (public representative/ JSC chairperson), Philomena Mwilu (acting Chief Justice), Agnes Amadi (Chief registrar of judiciary), Justice David Majanja (JSC commissioner), Justice Mohammed Warsame (JSC commissioner), ...