Title: Coal-based economies in developing countries: An environmental, health and cost evaluation around mega thermal power plants

Most developing countries rely on coal for their energy needs since it is cheap and abundant.

The coal-fired thermal power plants (TPP) emit particulate matter (PM), NOx, SO2 and toxic compounds with no transboundary restrictions. Chronic exposure to PM cause respiratory complications and enhance bacterial and viral infections. This poses major health risks and socioeconomic challenges to millions of people.

Currently, there is a lack of reliable emissions data, difficulties exist in tracing different PM sources and distribution, and a dearth of clinical surveys from PM exposure. This delays execution of policies suited for renewable energy and community health care. The study is based near the Bangladesh-India border, where mega TPPs are one of the major sources of atmospheric PM.

Our goals are 1) PM source apportionment and its impacts based on diagnostic marker compounds and receptor modeling, 2) leading epidemiological surveys, health questionnaires and low-cost biomonitoring in target groups to improve the detection and treatment of common respiratory diseases, and 3) exploring the health-related cost burden and associated socio-economic challenges to the community.

Establishing the causality between TPP emissions, health risks, and cost-benefit analyses will advance the agenda for cleaner energy, better air quality, and development associated with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (No 3 and 7) towards healthy lives and sustainable energy access.