Native South American people much more likely to die from wildfire smoke, study shows
Indigenous people in the Amazon Basin are twice as likely to die prematurely from exposure to wildfire smoke compared to the broader South American population, according to a new study. Areas of Peru, Bolivia and Brazil were identified as particularly hotspots of smog exposure, with death rates as high as six times that of the general population.
The study – written by researchers at Harvard University, researchers at the Columbia Climate Institute Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatoryand other agencies— just published in the magazine Environmental Studies: Health.
Smoke from wildfires in South America killed about 12,000 premature people a year from 2014 to 2019, with about 230 of those deaths occurring on indigenous lands, the study showed. In the general population, 2 per 100,000 people die prematurely from exposure to smoke, but in Aboriginal areas, 4 per 100,000 die prematurely. In the indigenous areas of Bolivia and Brazil, the death rate was 9 and 12 per 100,000, respectively.
Exposure to harmful smoke particles was found to be much higher during the August-November dry season in the Amazon, when wildfires more than double the concentration of fine particles that can be deadly if inhaled.
Farmers still smoke in the bushes near Pucallpa, in the Peruvian Amazon. Such fires pose a serious health threat, especially to nearby Aboriginal people. (Kevin Krajik/Earth Institute)
Eimy Bonilla of Harvard University, lead author of the study, said: “While indigenous territories in the Amazon Basin experience relatively few fires, our study shows that people living in these territories face greater health risks from smoke particles. risk.”
Previous research in this area has often focused on only one or two seasons, or relied heavily on admission data. The researchers say such studies do not accurately reflect the impact on people living in Aboriginal territory, who are often near fires and lack access to medical care. Instead, the new study used a combination of atmospheric chemical transport models and other data to estimate premature mortality in Indigenous populations exposed to high concentrations of particulate matter.
Biomass burning rates have surged in South America over the past decade, driven by agricultural land clearing, mining and logging. In recent decades, dry seasons have expanded and droughts have become more common, allowing fires to spread.
Fires release tiny smoke particles called PM2.5, are known to significantly affect human health. Exposure to particulate matter can lead to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancer, premature birth, metabolic dysfunction and other problems. Particles can travel great distances, affecting air quality in multiple countries.
“We recommend that governments respond to this through a multifaceted approach,” said study co-authors gary marahaga, Ph.D. Candidate for Lamont-Doherty. “Building the infrastructure for Indigenous communities to install air pollution sensors is a critical first step. Regulating deforestation in the Amazon will reduce the number and size of wildfires that cause this pollution.” Carry out stricter environmental governance.
Adapted from press release Environmental Studies: Health.
