Air pollution is the biggest environmental risk factor to human health in the Philippines. With 10 GW of installed coal capacity, air pollution from coal is responsible for 630 air pollution-related deaths and USD 165 million annually. In the next decade, the cumulative impact will be 7,000 premature deaths, and an economic cost of approximately USD 2 Billion without stronger emissions standards.
This will worsen as another 9 GW of coal are currently in various stages of construction and permitting phases. This report “Air Quality & Health Impacts of Coal-fired Power in the Philippines” states that if the proposed CFPPs are commercialized by 2024, these new plants would result in almost 26,300 premature deaths over 40 years.