A report by IQAir reveals that 83% of cities globally do not meet air quality standards, contributing to major health issues worldwide. Regions with poor air quality are primarily found in Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. Experts emphasize the need for enhanced monitoring and regulatory measures to combat air pollution and its health impacts.
A recent report indicates that a significant majority of the global population breathes polluted air, with only 17% of cities complying with air quality guidelines. The report, analyzed by Switzerland-based IQAir, utilized data from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 138 countries. The nations identified with the poorest air quality include Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India, where six of the nine most polluted cities are located, particularly the industrial town of Byrnihat.
Experts caution that the actual level of air pollution may be understated, as many regions, particularly in Africa, lack adequate monitoring infrastructure, averaging only one air quality monitoring station for every 3.7 million individuals. To address this deficiency, 8,954 new monitoring locations and around a thousand new monitors have been added to air quality assessments this year. However, a setback occurred when the U.S. State Department decided to cease the publication of its air pollution monitoring data from embassies and consulates.
Long-term exposure to polluted air can lead to serious health issues such as respiratory illnesses, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer, as stated by Fatimah Ahamad, chief scientist at the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health in Malaysia. The World Health Organization reports that air pollution is responsible for approximately 7 million deaths annually. Ahamad emphasized the urgency of implementing measures to reduce pollution, noting that an alarming 99% of the global population resides in areas failing to meet established air quality standards.
Cities like Beijing, Seoul, and Rybnik have demonstrated that air quality can be improved through stricter pollution regulations on transportation and industry, as well as through investments in cleaner energy and public transit options. An additional initiative to combat air pollution is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ agreement aimed at addressing transboundary haze pollution from large forest fires, which, despite its limited success, marks a collaborative effort among ten nations to monitor and mitigate pollution.
Shweta Narayan, a campaign leader at the Global Climate and Health Alliance, highlighted that regions with severe air pollution often overlap with areas that emit greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels. She suggested that reducing greenhouse gas emissions could simultaneously enhance air quality by addressing the climate crisis and its contributory effects on air pollution.
In summary, a considerable majority of individuals worldwide are exposed to harmful air pollution, with only a small fraction of cities meeting air quality standards. The need for improved monitoring and regulations is critical, as pollutants significantly impact health and well-being. Immediate and collective action from local and global communities is essential to effectively address both air quality and climate change.
Original Source: apnews.com
