Sasol pollution linked to premature deaths, study suggests
Researchers linked emissions from Sasol's Secunda plant to about 1,000 premature deaths annually, with a health cost of nearly $1 billion. Regulators are preparing to reinstate criminal charges against Sasol over alleged unlawful chemical waste discharges, which the company denies. A separate study warned that a rushed closure of Secunda could wipe $550 million off South Africa's economy.
Why it matters: This illustrates the tension between climate commitments and economic reliance on fossil fuels in Africa's biggest economy.