Story highlights Demand for electricity in SE Asia projected to increase by 83% between 2011 and 2035

An 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."

The peer-reviewed study cites economic development, population growth and urban migration as reasons for the huge leap in energy demand, and says that in Southeast Asia -- unlike in the US, Europe, China or India -- these demands are still likely to be met by coal-fired power plants rather than renewable energy. It states the public health consequences could be "severe."

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