important facts
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental risks to children’s health. In 2019, 99% of the world’s population lived in areas where levels did not meet WHO air quality guidelines. The combined impact of air pollution and household air pollution is associated with 6.7. In 2019, ambient (outdoor) air pollution was estimated to have caused 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide. Approximately 89% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with the highest number of deaths occurring in WHO South. East Asia and the Western Pacific region. Policies and investments that support cleaner transportation, energy-efficient housing, and improvements in power generation, industry, and municipal waste management will reduce major sources of outdoor air pollution. Access to clean household energy will also significantly reduce air pollution in some regions.
overview
Outdoor air pollution is a major environmental health problem that affects everyone in low-, middle-, and high-income countries.
Atmospheric (outdoor) air pollution in both urban and rural areas was estimated to cause 4.2 million premature deaths per year worldwide in 2019. This mortality rate is due to exposure to fine particulate matter, which causes cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer.
WHO estimates that in 2019, approximately 68% of premature deaths associated with outdoor air pollution were due to ischemic heart disease and stroke, 14% were due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 14% were due to acute lower respiratory tract infections. , estimates that 4% of deaths are due to The cause was lung cancer.
People living in low- and middle-income countries experience a disproportionate burden of outdoor air pollution, with 89% (of 4.2 million premature deaths) occurring in these regions. The greatest burden is found in the WHO Southeast Asia and Western Pacific region. The latest burden estimates reflect that air pollution plays a significant role in cardiovascular disease and mortality.
Policies to reduce air pollution
Addressing air pollution, the second highest risk factor for non-communicable diseases, is key to protecting public health.
Most sources of outdoor air pollution are far beyond individual control and require concerted efforts by policymakers at local, national, and regional levels working in areas such as energy, transportation, waste management, urban planning, and agriculture. Action is required.
There are many examples of successful policies that reduce air pollution.
For industry: Clean technology to reduce industrial chimney emissions. Improving the management of municipal and agricultural waste. This includes the recovery of methane gas emitted from waste sites (for use as biogas) as an alternative to incineration. Energy: Ensure access to affordable and clean home energy solutions for cooking, heating and lighting. Transportation: Transition to clean power generation mode. Prioritize intercity rapid transit networks, intracity walking and cycling networks, and intercity freight and passenger rail transport. A transition to cleaner heavy-duty diesel vehicles, lower-emission vehicles, and fuels that include fuels with reduced sulfur content. For urban planning: improving the energy efficiency of buildings, making cities greener and more compact, and thus more energy efficient. For power generation: increased use of low-emission fuels and non-combustion renewable power sources (e.g. solar, wind, hydropower). Cogeneration of heat and electricity. Distributed energy generation (such as mini-grids and rooftop solar PV), municipal and agricultural waste management: strategies for waste reduction, waste separation, recycling and reuse or waste reprocessing, and anaerobic Improved methods of biological waste management such as waste Digesting waste to produce biogas is a viable and low-cost alternative to open-air incineration of solid waste. When incineration cannot be avoided, combustion technologies with strict emission regulations are important. For healthcare: Putting healthcare services on a low-carbon development trajectory can reduce environmental health risks for patients, healthcare workers and communities, and support more resilient and cost-effective service delivery. Masu. By supporting climate-friendly policies, the health sector can demonstrate public leadership while improving health service delivery.
pollutants
Particulate matter (PM)
PM is a common representative indicator of air pollution. There is strong evidence of adverse health effects associated with exposure to this pollutant. The main components of PM are sulfates, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust, and water.
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless toxic gas produced by the incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels such as wood, gasoline, charcoal, natural gas, and kerosene.
Ozone (O3)
Ground-level ozone (not to be confused with the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere) is one of the main components of photochemical smog and is formed by reaction with gases in the presence of sunlight.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
NO2 is a gas commonly released by the combustion of fuels in the transportation and industrial sectors.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
SO2 is a colorless gas with a sharp odor. It is produced by the combustion of fossil fuels (coal and oil) and the smelting of sulfur-containing ores.
For more information on these and other types of contaminants, please visit this page.
air quality guidelines
The WHO’s Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) provide global guidance on thresholds and limits for major air pollutants that pose health risks. These guidelines are of high methodological quality and have been developed through a transparent, evidence-based decision-making process. In addition to guideline values, the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines provide interim targets to promote a gradual transition from high to low concentrations and the associated health benefits. For example, achieving interim target 1 (35 µg/m3) would save approximately 300,000 deaths per year worldwide.
The guidelines also address certain types of particulate matter (PM) for which there is insufficient quantitative evidence, such as black carbon/elemental carbon, ultrafine particles, and sandstorms and sandstorm-derived particles. It also provides a qualitative description of good management practices. Determine your AQG level.
WHO response
Recognizing the seriousness and urgency of the problem, all WHO Member States endorsed and acted on resolution A68.8 “Health and the environment: Addressing the health impacts of air pollution” at the 2015 World Health Assembly. A roadmap has been added for. following year.
As the global health coordinator, WHO supports countries in protecting public health through evidence-based policies and actions. Given the significant health burden and the multiple potential benefits of interventions, WHO is encouraging countries to provide evidence, build institutional capacity, and use the health debate to convene sectors to tackle air pollution. is supporting.
To help reduce air pollution levels and protect people from health
Considering the risks, WHO’s Air Quality and Health Division works in three cross-cutting areas:
1. Knowledge, evidence and measuring progress
2. Organizational capacity development and technical support
3. Leadership and coordination.
Typically, member states and subnational bodies implement and
Monitoring policies that promote air quality for health. successful policy
And strong governance depends on coordinated action between different stakeholders and sectors.
Thor. Cooperation with other UN agencies and non-state actors is essential and integrated
Participate in WHO activities to ensure synergy and maximize impact on the ground.
A complete list of WHO’s actions to combat air pollution can be found here and here.
