Air Pollution Causes Nearly 2,000 Child Deaths Daily: Report

Nearly 2,000 children under five years old die every day due to air pollution, a new report has revealed. That also makes air pollution the second leading cause of death in this age group worldwide after malnutrition.

The State of Global Air 2024 report by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) in collaboration with UNICEF, reveals the significant impact of both outdoor and indoor air pollution on global health. 

Air Pollution: Key findings

Air pollution causes around 7 million premature deaths worldwide annually. In 2021, it was responsible for a total of 8.1 million deaths around the world.

PM2.5 Pollution

• In 2021, over 8.6 billion people lived in areas where PM2.5 pollution exceeded safe levels set by the WHO. The average global concentration of PM2.5 was 27.5 mg per cubic metre. 
• PM2.5 pollution caused around 4.1 million premature deaths worldwide in 2021. It's a major cause of diseases such as respiratory issues, heart problems, and lung cancer.
• Pollution levels and their health effects varied widely across regions. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa had some of the highest pollution levels and health impacts.
• Despite efforts to improve air quality, many places, especially in poorer countries, still have high levels of PM2.5 pollution.

Household Air Pollution (HAP)

• About 2.6 billion people, mainly in poorer countries, were exposed to HAP from cooking with solid fuels like wood and charcoal.
• HAP led to approximately 1.8 million premature deaths in 2021, mainly due to respiratory infections in children and lung diseases in adults.
• Women and children were more affected because they spent more time near cooking fires, exposing them to higher levels of pollution.
• Using cleaner cooking technologies, such as improved stoves and cleaner fuels, showed promise in reducing health risks from HAP.

Ozone Pollution

• Ozone levels varied by season and region, with higher levels in urban and industrial areas.
• Ozone exposure worsened respiratory symptoms, especially in vulnerable groups like children and elderly people with existing lung problems.
• Limited monitoring in many areas made it harder to accurately measure ozone levels and understand its health effects.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Pollution

• NO2 pollution was mainly found in cities due to vehicle exhaust and industry emissions.
• Long-term exposure to NO2 was linked to respiratory and heart diseases, as well as problems during pregnancy.
• Different countries had varying success in reducing NO2 pollution through stricter vehicle emissions rules and city planning.