Up to 37,500 East Asians dying prematurely a year from ship pollution

Expect other nations in East Asia to follow China’s lead in creating emission control areas (ECAs) following the release of shocking new statistics that link shipping pollution in the area with up to 37,500 premature deaths a year.

A team of Chinese and American scientists used records of more than 18,000 vessels observed in the region in 2013 to calculate emissions and their likely effect. They noted that shipping emissions in the area had doubled since 2005 and now had the the world’s fastest-growing rate of particle and carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution from shipping emissions.

“Increased emissions lead to large adverse health impacts with 14,500-37,500 premature deaths per year,” the scientists wrote in the journal Nature Climate Change.

“As a large fraction of vessels are registered elsewhere, joint efforts are necessary to reduce emissions and mitigate the climate and health impacts of shipping in the region,” the researchers suggested.

China, spurred on by pioneering efforts in Hong Kong, is pushing ahead with a number of pilot ECAs as well as installing shore power at seven ports. South Korea, Taiwan and Japan are all believed to be looking at creating ECAs too.