A study published in the journal Environmental Research found that parts of China, India, Europe, and the northeastern United States are suffering a disproportionately high number of deaths - around 8.7 million annually - attributed to fossil fuels. This research provides the most detailed assessment of premature deaths due to fossil-fuel air pollution to date. In comparison, a previous study in 2017 estimated 4.2 million annual deaths from all outdoor airborne particulate matter, including dust and smoke from agricultural burns and wildfires. Eloise Marais, an expert in atmospheric chemistry at University College London and a co-author of the study, noted that while their findings are not unique in showing the impact of air pollution on health, they were surprised by the large estimate they obtained. Previous research had difficulty distinguishing pollution from burning fossil fuels from other sources of harmful particulates, such as wildfires or dust, based on satellite data and ground observations. Researchers from three British universities and Harvard University aimed to address the issue by utilizing a high-resolution model to identify the specific pollutants individuals were inhaling in a particular location. As concerns mount regarding the impact of burning fossil fuels on climate change, the authors expressed their desire that the study, which utilized data from 2018, would encourage governments to hasten the transition to cleaner energy sources. Co-author Joel Schwartz, an environmental epidemiologist at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, stated, "We aim to highlight the health risks associated with fossil fuel combustion in hopes of urging policymakers and stakeholders to prioritize the shift towards alternative energy sources."