A global perspective on energy: health effects and injustices.
The exploitation of fossil fuels is integral to modern living and has been a key element of the rapid technological, social, and cultural changes of the past 250 years. Although such changes have brought undeniable benefits, this exploitation has contributed to a burden of illness through pollution of local and regional environments, and is the dominant cause of climate change. This pattern of development is therefore unsustainable at a global level. At the same time, about 2.4 billion of the world's population, disadvantaged by lack of access to clean energy, are exposed to high levels of indoor air pollutants from the inefficient burning of biomass fuels. Even in high-income countries, many people live in fuel poverty, and throughout the world, increasingly sedentary lifestyles (to which fossil-fuel-dependent transport systems contribute) are leading to chronic disease and injuries. Energy security is also an issue of growing concern to many governments in both the developed and developing world, and a potential source of international tension and conflict. In this Series, we examine the opportunities to improve health, reduce climate effects, and promote development through realistic adjustments in the way energy and food are produced and consumed.
Wilkinson
Paul
P
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. paul.wilkinson@lshtm.ac.uk
Smith
Kirk R
KR
Joffe
Michael
M
Haines
Andrew
A
D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002980:Climate; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources / Q000639:trends*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005579:Fossil Fuels / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014943:Global Health; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D005579:Fossil Fuels