About 83 million people will die from global warming-related deaths in the 21st century without major changes to carbon emissions policies, a recently published study determined.

The research was published in the journal Nature Communications on Thursday, and attempts to account for what study author Daniel Bressler termed the "mortality cost of carbon."

“Based on the decisions made by individuals, businesses or governments, this tells you how many lives will be lost, or saved,” Bressler said in a statement accompanying the report's release. “It quantifies the mortality impact of those decisions. It brings this question down to a more personal, understandable level.”

Bressler does not maintain that the 83 million figure is definitive, but says it is based on "several key public-health studies," noting his findings are based on their estimates. It also only accounts for deaths directly tied to increased temperatures, such as heat stroke, not mortality associated with climate-change caused weather, such as storms, droughts and fires.

He acknowledges that his figure may “be a vast underestimate.”

The study determined, however, that for every 4,434 metric tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, one person will be killed. The figure of 4,434 tons of CO2 is equivalent to the lifetime emissions of 3.5 Americans, meaning that if levels remain the same emissions of one American kills 0.29 other people.

"That does not mean each living American is currently slated to kill 0.29 people–rather, it implies that adding 1,276 metric tons of carbon dioxide tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, equivalent to the lifetime emissions of one American, would kill 0.29 people this century through the effect on temperature-related mortality," according to a Columbia University statement.

The cost of carbon should be raised from US President Joe Biden's $51 a metric ton he set in February -- in line with EU standards -- to a "social cost" of $258 per metric ton. Raising the price seven-fold would prevent a projected 74 million heat-related deaths through 2100, Bressler estimated.

“My view is that people shouldn’t take their per-person mortality emissions too personally,” says Bressler. “Our emissions are very much a function of the technology and culture of the place that we live."/aa

Major stock markets in Europe closed lower on Friday with rising inflation and the German economy growing at a slower pace than expected.

STOXX Europe 600, which includes around 90% of the market capitalization of the European market in 17 European countries, was down 0.45% to 461.74 points.

London's FTSE 100 fell 0.65% to 7,032 points and Germany's DAX 30 slipped 0.61% to 15,544.

The French stock market, the CAC 40, slided 0.32% to 6,612, while Italy's Borsa Italiana FTSE MIB 30 lost 0.6% to close at 25,363 and Spain's IBEX 35 was down 1.26% to 8,675.

On a weekly basis, STOXX Europe 600 gained 0.04%, the FTSE 100 was up 0.06%, the CAC 40 rose 0.66%, and the FTSE MIB 30 increased 0.95%. While the DAX 30 fell 0.79%, the IBEX 35 was down 0.47%.

The German economy's second-quarter growth came at 1.5%, from the previous quarter -- less than the market expectation of 2%. Europe's largest economy, however, saw its gross domestic product (GDP) in April-June up 9.6% year-on-year.

Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 2.2% in July 2021, up from 1.9% in June, according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU.

"Energy is expected to have the highest annual rate in July with 14.1%, compared with 12.6% in June," Eurostat said in a statement.

On a positive note, GDP was up 2% in the euro area and 1.9% in the EU, compared with the previous quarter, both beating market estimates. They jumped 13.7% and 13.2%, respectively, compared with the second quarter of 2020.

Euro area unemployment came at 7.7% last month, down from 8% in May 2021 and from 8% in June 2020, also beating market expectations. The EU unemployment rate was 7.1% in June 2021, down from the 7.3% of the previous month and from 7.3% in June 2020./aa

US stock market opened lower Friday with personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index showing an increase in June.

The Dow Jones was down 8 points to 35,076 at 9.55 a.m. EDT, while the S&P 500 fell 12, or 0.3%, to 4,407 with general Electric sliding 1.1%.

The Nasdaq declined 80 points, or 0.54%, to 14,698 as Amazon shares plummeted 6.9% as revenue increase came less than the same period of last year.

The e-commerce firm announced late Thursday its revenue rose 27.2% in the second quarter, which came much lower than the 41% increase in the second quarter of 2020.

The yield on 10-year US Treasury notes decreased 2.1% to 1.242, and the VIX volatility index, known as the fear index, was down 0.8% to 17.55.

The dollar index, on the other hand, was up 0.1% to 91.96.

Precious metals reversed course from the previous day's gains as gold fell 0.2% to $1,824 per ounce and silver was flat at $25.5.

PCE price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation indicator, increased 0.5% in June. Core PCE price index, excluding food and energy, rose 0.4% from the previous month. Year-on-year, they were up 4% and 3.5%, respectively./agencies

As fires continue to ravage many parts of the world, including the US, European Union countries, and Russia, the number of fires in 2021 so far has exceeded previous whole-year averages in many countries.

According to a satellite map by US space agency NASA’s Fire Information and Resource Management System, fires are burning in many parts of the world, turning many thousands of hectares into ashes.

The fires, represented by red on the map, have hit many regions from the US to Russia, from South America to North America, Central and Southern Africa as well as the Arabian Gulf, with many EU countries, including Italy, Greece, and Romania, also facing blazes.

According to an EU emergency map, fires of varying sizes blazing in different spots on the continent reach almost as far as northern Russia.

The map indicated that fires in all EU countries have been continuing for at least a week.

Italy grappling with fires

Especially southern parts of Italy have been suffering from multiple fires of various sizes, turning thousands of hectares on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia as well as parts of the Calabria region into ashes, local media reported.

At least 20,000 hectares have been destroyed in a fire that started on July 24 in Oristano in western Sardinia.

As many as 1,500 people have been evacuated from the area.

Italy had asked fellow EU countries for additional firefighting aircraft to combat the blaze.

Christian Solinas, president of the autonomous region of Sardinia, said calculating the damage from the fire is currently impossible and demanded urgent economic support from Rome.

Romania

The southern region of Romania, also an EU member, including the capital Bucharest and regions near the Bulgarian border, is also shown in red on the fire map.

Fires in neighboring Moldova and Ukraine are also continuing.

Greece

A fire that started on July 27 in Stamata in the Dionysos municipality, close to the capital Athens, spread to nearby residential areas.

Authorities of the Dionysos Municipality called the situation in the region severe, adding that the fire is approaching residential areas despite the efforts of firefighting teams.

Russia

Efforts are still underway to extinguish forest fires that started this month in the northeastern Yakutia region.

Authorities declared a state of emergency for the region, where over 1.3 million hectares of forestland have gone up in flames.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations on Thursday reported that teams are working to extinguish the fires that continue in 144 different locations.

US and Canada

In the US, according to the Thursday data from the Interagency Fire Center, nearly 6.8 million acres of forest have burned in 82 blazes in 13 different states. Also, new blazes were reported in the states of Idaho, Alaska, and Minnesota.

In the US’ northern neighbor Canada, so far in 2021, 4,576 forest fires were reported. This amounts to 1,000 times more than the average rate of the last decade. A total of 2,150 hectares of forestland burned within a year.

Not an average year

According to European Forest Fire Information System, European states this year exceeded the average number of forest fires reported annually between 2008 and 2020.

In Italy, so far in 2021, 53,797 hectares of forest burned, versus the average of the last 12 years of 40,781 hectares. In France, so far in 2021, 22,807 hectares of forest burned, topping the average of the last 12 years of 18,620 hectares. Likewise, in Romania, so far in 2021, 18,620 hectares of forest burned, versus the 2008-2020 average of 16,082 hectares.

Finally, in Bosnia and Herzegovina so far in 2021 over 25,583 hectares of forest burned. This is close to 30,199 hectares, the whole-year average of the last 12 years./aa

Turkey is battling wildfires that have broken out in 71 different areas recently, with 57 of them successfully brought under control so far.

The forest fires have erupted over the last few days in the southern provinces of Mersin, Osmaniye, Adana, Antalya, Kahramanmaras.

The blazes also burst out in the southwestern province of Mugla and central provinces of Kirikkale and Kayseri.

The county's efforts to bring 14 ongoing fires under control are continuing as 10,550 personnel, 45 helicopters, one unmanned helicopter, nine UAVs, 1,080 water trucks, 660 heavy-duty vehicles, six planes, and 280 portable water tanks are joining the mission.

Massive forest fires in Antalya province

Turkey’s Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya is one of the areas where fires blaze out. An 82-year-old man, who was left alone at home, died while evacuation efforts were underway in the Kepezbeleni village of Akseki district.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said on Thursday that there are 10 people stranded in the Oymapinar Dam in the province while some neighborhoods were evacuated.

"Ambulances and AFAD (the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) teams are on the way for our citizens in Oymapinar Dam. The road is open, they will try to evacuate them," he said, adding that they do not face a life-threatening situation.

Later, Manavgat District Governor Mustafa Yigit said 10 people stranded in the dam were rescued.

Forest fires first erupted on Wednesday in Antalya’s Manavgat district and spread over a large area.

"Three of our citizens lost their lives and 122 others were affected from fires while treatment of 58 citizens continues," AFAD said on Manavgat fires.

With the latest announcement, the number of people who died during fires in Antalya has risen to four.

Firefighters battling blazes in Adana, Mersin provinces

Along with Antalya, Adana, and Mersin, firefighters are working selflessly to bring fires under control in other provinces.

In Mersin, people living in areas near fires were evacuated on Wednesday.

Firefighters are battling fires in the two districts of the province.

They are also working in the Kozan district of Adana province where a fire broke out in a forested land in the Kizlarsekisi area.

Authorities said that the powerful wind fanned fires to rage through the region and it hampers efforts to put out the blazes./aa