Air pollution from traffic is a new study found that for around 13,000 premature deaths annually in Germany. According to the published on Wednesday the investigation of the environmental research Institute of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), Germany is in fourth rank in the world. Only in China (114.000), India (74.000) and the USA (22.000) to die, therefore, more people prematurely from diseases caused by ozone and fine dust.
Air pollution in Germany: 17 premature deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Based on the size of the population to die, according to the ICCT study, nowhere have more people at an early stage to traffic fumes than in Germany. Per 100,000 inhabitants, there are cases in this country 17 premature death. This death rate is, according to the ICCT three times as high as the global average, and is nearly 50 percent above the average of all EU countries. Stuttgart, Cologne and Berlin are among the Top 10 cities worldwide with the highest mortality rate.
One of the main reasons for the high proportion of diesel vehicles that emit very much fine dust and nitrogen oxide, which in turn is a Precursor for ozone and particulate matter, according to ICCT. In Stuttgart, approximately 78 percent of the early deaths were the model calculations suggest that the emissions from Diesel Cars, buses and Trucks. Responsible, in particular Diesel, according to the ICCT passenger Cars and light commercial vehicles below the Euro standard 5b, as well as Trucks and buses to emission standard Euro V and older.
Worldwide, 3.4 million people die prematurely due to air pollution
The researchers stress the importance of driving bans, as well as programs for faster replacement of the vehicle fleet towards a zero-emission transport for the health of the city population. In the case of the study by the ICCT, which was instrumental in the discovery of the diesel scandal, worked together with researchers from the George Washington University and the University of Colorado Boulder. The researchers brought together data on the emission behaviour of vehicles from the year 2015 with models to common diseases, in order to calculate the health impact of traffic on different levels.
Were included the emissions of Cars, buses, Trucks, ships, agricultural vehicles and construction machinery. The world died, therefore, about 3.4 million people at an early stage of the General air pollution. Ozone and fine dust diseases diseases of the heart, stroke, chronic lung, lung cancer, infections of the lower respiratory trigger paths, as well as Diabetes. 385,000 in the global premature deaths are consequences of fine dust and ozone from the transport sector.
Diesel vehicles are the main problem
By the premature death economies in the world, according to the ICCT calculations lost almost a trillion dollars (860 billion euros) went to the people. In Germany alone, the social damage accordingly amounted to 97 billion euros, or just under three percent of gross national income. In diesel vehicles the global average for almost half of these early deaths – and in Germany for two-thirds. Behind it, construction and agricultural machinery as well as ships to follow.
