Pollution from coal-powered plants is endangering the lives of millions of people across Southeast Asia, as fine particle air pollution — also known as PM2.5 — leads to lung and heart diseases and other health problems.
What's happening?
Coal-burning power plants in Southeast Asia are a major source of PM2.5 air pollution, which is threatening air quality in nearby communities, according to Eco-Business. The publication cited a 2024 State of Global Air report that identified the region as having some of the highest rates of premature death related to PM2.5 in the world.
For instance, China suffered 2.3 million deaths due to PM2.5 in 2021. Meanwhile, Jakarta's air pollution in 2023 reached its worst levels since 2019 — PM2.5 concentrations remained in the "unhealthy" range from June through to December.
"The [Indonesian] government and national stakeholders can no longer afford to ignore air pollution from coal power generation and its impacts on the population and economy," Katherine Hasan of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air told Eco-Business.
And it's expected to get worse, according to Reuters, which says much of Southeast Asia isn't expected to peak its coal reliance until as late as 2035.
Why is Southeast Asia's coal pollution concerning?
Ambient air pollution isn't the only concern when it comes to coal-powered plants. Fatimah Ahamad, chief scientist at Malaysia's Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, told Eco-Business that coal combustion also releases toxic metals like mercury into the air. These heavy metals can seep into the soil and nearby water sources, further endangering people's health.
Plus, coal is a dirty energy source that contributes to the overheating of our planet. In fact, coal, oil, and natural gas together account for more than 75% of all planet-warming pollution.
As global temperatures rise, the people of Southeast Asia are at even greater risk. For instance, dozens of people across Thailand died due to tropical storms and heavy rain events in late 2024. Thai Chamber of Commerce chairman Sanan Angubolkul said that the frequency and severity of flooding in the country has increased due to a warmer planet. And in September 2024, Typhoon Yagi broke records as the strongest storm to hit China in a decade. Landslides and flooding from the typhoon left hundreds of people dead across several countries.
What's being done about coal-powered plants?
A number of scientists have pointed to the retirement of coal-powered plants to help reduce their impact on human health and that of the planet. Eco-Business pointed out that the retirement of a fleet of coal facilities along with a significant rise in clean power generation in China has likely contributed to an improvement in the country's air quality in the first half of 2024.
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Elsewhere, a number of projects are underway to wean communities off of coal. For instance, towns in rural Virginia are adding more than one million new jobs by focusing on clean energy instead of coal. Plus, a decommissioned coal plant in New Mexico was recently converted into a massive commercial solar project that is expected to supply 63,000 homes with clean energy.
Meanwhile, you can help support clean air in your neighborhood and reduce carbon pollution by enrolling in community solar.
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