Several studies have shown that exposure to air pollution is also a key risk factor for COVID-19. (File)
Paris:
Air pollution is slashing the life expectancy of every man, woman and child on Earth by nearly two years, according to data released Tuesday which experts say shows poor air quality is “the greater risk to human health “.
The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) said that as the world struggles to find a vaccine to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control, air pollution will continue to drive billions of people to lead longer lives. shorter and sicker across the world.
The index converts particulate air pollution – primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels – into its impact on human health.
He found that despite significant reductions in particulate matter in China – once one of the most polluted countries in the world – the overall level of air pollution has remained stable over the past two decades.
In countries like India and Bangladesh, air pollution was so severe that it now reduces the average lifespan in some areas by nearly a decade.
The authors of the research said the quality of air many humans breathe poses a much higher health risk than COVID-19.
“While the threat of the coronavirus is serious and deserves all the attention it receives, embracing the severity of air pollution with similar vigor would allow billions of people to lead longer, healthier lives.” , said Michael Greenstone, creator of AQLI.
Almost a quarter of the world‘s population lives in just four South Asian countries that are among the most polluted: Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
The AQLI found that these populations would see their lifespan reduced by five years on average, after being exposed to pollution levels 44% higher than 20 years ago.
Millions of years lost
He said particulate pollution was also a “significant concern” across Southeast Asia, where forest and crop fires combined with fumes from traffic and power plants to create toxic air.
About 89 percent of the region’s 650 million people live in areas where air pollution exceeds guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.
While places like the United States, Europe and Japan have been successful in improving air quality, pollution still takes an average of two years on life expectancy around the world, AQLI said.
Bangladesh has the worst air quality of any country, and around 250 million people in the northern states of India will lose an average of eight years of life if pollution is left unchecked.
Several studies have shown that exposure to air pollution is also a key risk factor for COVID-19, and Greenstone has urged governments to prioritize air quality after the pandemic.
“No bullet in the arm will reduce air pollution,” said Greenstone, of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. “The solution lies in strong public policy,” he said.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
