The township of Phola is heavily polluted by coal-fired power stations. Photo: © Mukurukuru Media / Shutterstock.com

South African coal risks almost 80,000 lives

South Africa’s state-owned power company, Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, operates 15 coal-fired power stations. Most of them are located in the Mpumalanga province east of the capital, Johannesburg.

A government-appointed panel has calculated the cost in human lives of continued operation after 2025 until the power stations reach their end of life. They state that the air pollution from the facilities risks killing 79,500 people during this period, if they are not decommissioned early. However, there are no such plans. And the company has so far been reluctant to comply with existing emission standards.  

Report from Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air:  Health impacts of Eskom’s non-compliance with minimum emissions standards

 

In this issue

An offshore wind power project is planned off the coast of Hiumma island, Estonia. But the project has been opposed by locals, who believe that not enough consideration is given to wildlife, aesthetics and tourism. Photo: © Peter Aleksandrov / Shutterstock.com

Overcoming windpower conflicts in the Baltic Sea

Two conflicts regarding the location of offshore wind power in Estonia and Poland, show the benefit of including a wide range of stakeholders at an early stage in the planning process.

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