Air Pollution: A Global Crisis Affecting Life Expectancy
A recent study has highlighted a troubling reality: 97% of the global population lives in areas where air pollution exceeds safe levels. This alarming statistic, revealed by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), shows that chronic air pollution is cutting life expectancy worldwide by more than two years per person. The effects are comparable to smoking, and far more severe than other major health threats like HIV/AIDS or terrorism.
One of the most concerning findings of the study is the impact on South Asia, where residents are losing up to five years of life expectancy due to smog. In 2021, no country in the world met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality standards, pointing to the widespread nature of the problem.
The study focused on PM2.5, tiny particles in the air that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause serious health issues like respiratory and heart diseases. If these dangerous particles were reduced to the WHO’s recommended level of five micrograms per cubic meter, global life expectancy could increase by an average of 2.2 years. This shows how much cleaner air could improve health on a global scale.
Unfortunately, air pollution remains an underfunded public health issue. Despite its massive impact, the resources needed to tackle it are still lacking. The study urges stronger action to reduce emissions, enforce stricter air quality standards, and invest in clean technologies to protect public health. With such high stakes, it’s clear that tackling air pollution is not just an environmental issue—it’s a health crisis that demands immediate attention.
More than 97% of the global population lives in areas where air pollution exceeds recommended levels, the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) said in its latest Air Quality Life Index, which used satellite data to measure levels of PM2.5, hazardous floating particles that damage the lungs.
It has been neglected as a public health issue, with funding to address the problem still inadequate, the study warned.
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Source: Reuters
