Air pollution is currently one of the most serious environmental issues in the world. Chronic exposure to it puts the world's population at extreme risk of health problems and premature death. We believe that understanding a problem is the first step to solving it. So here are ten surprising facts about air pollution.
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1. Every day 91% of the world's population breathes polluted air.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 9 out of 10 people in the world live in areas with polluted air. The combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity, as well as emissions from fossil fuel-powered motor vehicles, contribute to global air pollution. Rich and developed countries contribute a significant portion of global air pollution due to their reliance on non-renewable energy sources and the number of vehicles on the road. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about 68 million tons of air pollution were emitted into the atmosphere in 2020 in the United States alone.
2. At least one person out of every ten dies as a result of diseases related to air pollution.
One of the most shocking facts about air pollution is that it is a major risk factor for chronic health diseases and premature death worldwide. In 2017, air pollution was thought to be responsible for 5 million deaths worldwide, which is about 9% of the world's population. Constant exposure to polluted air increases the risk of heart and respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes and lung cancer. Southeast Asian countries bear the brunt of the consequences of outdoor air pollution. According to 2017 data, air pollution deaths in the region accounted for 15% of global deaths, while wealthy countries contributed only 2%, reflecting a large disparity between developed and developing countries.
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3. Air pollution threatens life expectancy more than smoking, HIV or war.
Air pollution is literally ending the lives of billions of people around the world. According to a 2021 report by the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute, residents of India, which has some of the highest levels of air pollution on the planet, lose an average of 5.9 years of their lives as a result of poor air quality. Although the top five polluted countries are across Asia, air pollution is a rapidly increasing threat in Central and West Africa, where average life expectancy has declined by two to five years, making it more of a "well-known killer" of human beings. has become a major health hazard. like HIV/AIDS and malaria."
4. The economic cost of air pollution is about $3 trillion or 3.3% of global GDP.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air published a report in 2020 that revealed the human and economic costs of air pollution caused by fossil fuels. Air pollution-related deaths are estimated to have cost $2.9 trillion in economic costs, and were responsible for 1.8 billion days of work absenteeism, decreased labor-force participation rates, 4 million new cases of child asthma, More children miss school, increasing health care needs, and affecting parents' time away from work, and 2 million premature births in 2018. According to the report, disability from chronic diseases caused by poor air quality costs the global economy $200 billion, with sick leave and premature birth costing $100 billion. and $90 billion, respectively.
5. Low- to middle-income countries have the highest rates of air pollution-related deaths.
One of the most worrying facts about air pollution is that people living in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are 100 times more likely to die from outdoor air pollution than people living in Europe and North America. Indoor air pollution rates are correspondingly higher in low-income countries due to reliance on solid fuels such as wood, crop waste, charcoal and coal for cooking, as well as kerosene in open fires. This method of cooking is still used by some 2.6 billion people worldwide, leaving them vulnerable to diseases caused by indoor air pollution.
6. Climate change increases wildfire risk and air pollution
Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and wildfires. As the dry season lengthens and the rate of deforestation for agricultural development increases, so do wildfire risks. Large-scale wildfires emit carbon dioxide, smog and pollutants into the atmosphere, which can spread across countries and regions. In July 2021, an unprecedented heatwave and wildfires in the western US and Canada enveloped East Coast cities, including New York, in smog and polluted air. Similarly, during the same period when smog reached dangerously high levels, Siberia experienced its worst wildfires, forcing more than 280,000 residents to stay at home.
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7. India is home to ten of the top fifteen most polluted cities in the world.
Although Hotan in China is the most polluted city in the world, with an average of 110.2 g/m3 of particulate matter 2.5 in the atmosphere, India is home to 10 of the 15 most polluted cities in the world. According to the IQAir 2020 World Air Quality Report, cities in India exceed the WHO guidelines for PM2.5 levels in the atmosphere by an average of 500%. This is due to the previously mentioned factors of emissions from vehicular traffic and the use of fossil fuels in cooking by poor households, as well as smoke from burning waste. However, thanks to its National Clean Air Programme, which aims to reduce air pollution levels by 30% by 2024, the country has made significant progress. India's energy from renewable sources will increase by 50% by the end of 2030, following Prime Minister Modi's pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2070, which will significantly reduce carbon emissions and pollutants.
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