Air pollution, largely caused by the combustion of fossil fuels, shortens life expectancy worldwide by more than two years on average. Fine dust particles, which are smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) and therefore approximately the diameter of a human hair, penetrate deeply into the lungs and even end up in the bloodstream. This causes numerous cases of lung and heart disease.
In South Asia, people could live an average of five years longer if particulate matter pollution did not exceed limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the air quality report from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago.
According to the WHO, the PM2.5 concentration in the air should not exceed 15 micrograms per cubic meter within 24 hours. Due to mounting evidence of the harmful effects of particulate matter pollution, the WHO amended this limit value last year for the first time since the publication of its air quality guidelines in 2005.
According to the recently published University of Chicago Air Quality Life Index, this limit is exceeded in almost all regions of the world, but most extremely in Asia: in Bangladesh by a factor of 15, in India by a factor of ten and in Nepal and Pakistan. by a factor of nine.
Air pollution levels are also well above average in Central and West Africa, large parts of Southeast Asia and parts of Central America. According to the American study, life expectancy in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with their 300 million inhabitants, will be shortened by eight years and in the Indian capital New Delhi by no less than ten years.
According to the report, China, the world’s most populous country, is making significant progress. Between 2013 and 2020 PM2.5 pollution there decreased by almost 40 percent. Although life expectancy there has increased by two years, air pollution still kills the Chinese on average 2.6 years.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
