CREA report: Fossil fuels kill 26,500 people annually in Turkey, cost economy $55 billion

The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and the Clean Air Rights Platform (THHP) calculated the annual economic cost of fossil fuel-related air pollution in Turkey at $55 billion. This amount corresponds to 4.1% of Turkey's gross domestic product announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute for 2024.

The report was shared with the public at a press conference held in Istanbul today. According to the findings, 52% of PM₂.₅-related air pollution in Turkey comes from coal, oil, and gas. This pollution leads to approximately 26,500 premature deaths annually due to cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, lung cancer, stroke, and diabetes. The death distribution by city is as follows: Istanbul 8,100, Ankara 2,500, Izmir 2,400.

Another prominent finding in the report concerns energy import bills. According to TURKSTAT data, during the Hormuz crisis, the energy import bill in August 2023 increased by 33.8% compared to the same month of the previous year.

2024 data reveals that coal's share in electricity generation is 35%, while natural gas accounts for 19%. Of the energy consumed in road transport, 66% comes from diesel, 17% from LPG, and 16% from gasoline; electricity's share remains at 0.2%. In industry, fossil fuels make up approximately 60% of final energy consumption.

The report was released ahead of COP31, scheduled to be held in Antalya in November.