Dangerous air pollution hits hard in six countries, including India
New Study Shows Big Problems in Measuring Air Quality and Funding Solutions
Air pollution poses a significant threat to human health worldwide, with its impact concentrated in just six countries, including India, according to a study by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC). The annual Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report reveals that global pollution levels increased in 2021, leading to adverse effects on human life expectancy. If the world were to permanently reduce fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) to meet the World Health Organization’s guidelines, it could extend the average person’s life expectancy by 2.3 years, saving a total of 17.8 billion life-years globally.
This data underscores that particulate pollution remains a major health risk, even surpassing the impact of smoking, alcohol use, unsafe water, and transport injuries like car crashes.
The study highlights that a staggering 75% of air pollution’s impact on global life expectancy occurs in just six countries: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria, and Indonesia. In these nations, people lose anywhere from one to more than six years of their lives due to the air they breathe. Despite the severe consequences, only 6.8% and 3.7% of governments in Asia and Africa, respectively, provide their citizens with fully open-air quality data.
Furthermore, just 35.6% and 4.9% of countries in Asia and Africa, respectively, have established air quality standards, which are essential for developing effective policies to combat pollution.
The study also emphasizes the stark disparity in funding for addressing air pollution compared to other global health issues. While diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis benefit from coordinated resources totaling $4 billion annually, there is no equivalent support system for air pollution. The entire continent of Africa receives less than $300,000 in philanthropic funds to combat air pollution, an amount equivalent to the current average price of a single-family home in the United States. In Asia, excluding China and India, only $1.4 million is allocated. In contrast, Europe, the United States, and Canada collectively receive $34 million for air quality improvement initiatives, as reported by the Clean Air Fund.
Addressing the critical need for timely and reliable air quality data, Christa Hasenkopf, the director of AQLI and air quality programs at EPIC, underscores the importance of such information in shaping effective policies and government efforts. She emphasizes the potential for civil society and governments to make more informed decisions with accurate data, ultimately leading to improved air quality and public health. Hasenkopf also highlights the opportunity to redirect funding towards building the necessary infrastructure for tackling air pollution.
In conclusion, air pollution remains a pressing global health crisis, with its most significant impact felt in six countries, including India. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive air quality data and standards, especially in Asia and Africa, where the majority of lives are affected. It also highlights the glaring lack of funding compared to other health issues and the potential for change through targeted investments in infrastructure and collaborative efforts to combat air pollution.
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