Reduce emissions, save a life

A new study estimates the mortality cost of our carbon emissions.

From The Guardian:

For every 4,434 metric tons of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere beyond the 2020 rate of emissions, one person globally will die prematurely from the increased temperature. This additional CO2 is equivalent to the current lifetime emissions of 3.5 Americans…

While it takes just 3.5 Americans to create enough emissions in a lifetime to kill one person, it would take 25 Brazilians or 146 Nigerians to do the same, the paper found.

While emissions are still something best addressed by government policy and economic incentives, and “carbon footprint” is a concept popularized by BP to shift blame to individuals, understanding the mortality cost grounds even individual decisions (including voting) with the opportunity to save lives.