| Topic: | Re:The death toll from pollution is even worse than previously estimated | |
| Posted by: | David Parker | |
| Date/Time: | 09/02/21 12:53:00 |
| This is a very misleading way to present these figures. 8.7 million deaths a year are not caused by pollution. Pollution may be a factor in accelerating those deaths but is not the primary cause. As most cars these days issue virtually no particulates you are not contributing to any significant way to their presence in the air by driving half a mile to the supermarket. The main problem from a global perspective from car use is the CO2 generated and that is the primary reason to switch to more sustainable means of travel. This misuse of statistics is leading to policy confusion. Air quality is important and we should be looking at ways to improve it but there is no need for hysteria. Consider that the longest life expectancy for males in any part of Europe is in Kensington and Chelsea, it is also one of the most polluted parts of Europe. This confirms what a whole host of other data tells us, that income has a much greater impact on life expectancy than air quality. Therefore it is absolutely essential that we avoid the kind of regressive charges that many local authorities are currently trying to introduce using the cloak of reducing pollution. |