Story highlights Demand for electricity in SE Asia projected to increase by 83% between 2011 and 2035An increase in coal-fired power stations could have "severe" consequences, says report(CNN) Coal emissions in Southeast Asia are projected to triple by 2030, resulting in an increase in pollution-related deaths, according to a new Harvard-backed report published Friday. Researchers at Harvard and Greenpeace say the demand for electricity in Southeast Asia is projected to increase by a staggering 83% between 2011 and 2035 -- twice the global average. "Air pollution in China and India has received a lot of scientific attention," said Harvard University's Shannon Koplitz, a lead researcher in the project, in a statement. However, she says the "impacts of planned coal power expansion in the rest of the Southeast and East Asian region have been understudied." It states the public health consequences could be "severe."

Source: CNN January 13, 2017 04:58 UTC