99% of the world’s population breathes polluted air

99% of the world’s population breathes air daily, where pollution levels exceed the limits set by the World Health Organization. According to the latest review of WHO data, 7,800 million people are constantly inhaling a lot of toxins such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or microparticles that pose a threat to their health.

More than 6,000 cities in 117 countries reported pollution levels to the organization. “The states most affected by the population are the low- and middle-income states,” the report said. NO2 level records “ground level” were first obtained, specifying this work. That is, the air that people breathe.

Nitrogen dioxide is “one of the most common pollutants in cities” and a “precursor to microparticles (PM) and trophospheric ozone,” the report said. These compounds “are mainly caused by human activities related to the use of oil, coal and gas.” For this reason, WHO uses the opportunity to emphasize the “importance of reducing the use of fossil fuels.”

Given the accumulation of evidence on how these pollutants harm human health, WHO last year revised the limits of what is considered permissible. He made them tougher.

Within these borders, impoverished countries show a worse situation, especially in microparticles, while in rich countries “most cities have a problem with nitrogen dioxide.” This gas mainly comes from urban traffic based on diesel and gasoline engines. It is this toxic substance and its excessive concentration that Spain has before the European Court of Justice for violating the rules of Madrid and Barcelona when it comes to protecting the boundaries of European regulations, which, moreover, is more permissible than values. WHO.

“It is unacceptable that after surviving a pandemic, at least seven million deaths from pollution could be avoided,” said Maria Neira, Spain’s director of the WHO’s Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

Scientific convictions about the damage caused by pollution are “growing rapidly,” this document warns. Even if the concentration is low. NO2 is associated with respiratory diseases, “especially asthma”, which leads to more “medical visits and emergency departments”. Microparticles can penetrate deep into the lungs and reach the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory effects.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhano Gebreius, summed up the data after the release, saying that “energy concerns underscore the importance of accelerating the transition to a clean and healthy energy system.”