Air Pollution, the Second Largest Global Killer, 8.1 million deaths – UNICEF

Air Pollution, the Second Largest Global Killer, 8.1 million deaths – UNICEF

KAKALI DAS

Air pollution has reached new heights, becoming the second largest global killer, overtaking tobacco use and second only to high blood pressure.

This alarming fact has been revealed in the latest State of Global Air (SoGA) Report, released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI), backed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The study estimates that more than 8.1 million deaths each year are linked to air pollution. China and India bear the greatest burden, accounting for over half of these deaths. The report also highlights several other worrying trends.

The report by the independent U.S.-based non-profit research organization has found that air pollution is killing nearly 2,000 children under the age of 5 every day, meaning one child dies from air pollution every minute. Dirty air has surpassed poor sanitation and lack of clean water to become the second biggest health risk factor for young children worldwide.

However, the annual toll of 700,000 child deaths is only a fraction of the 8.1 million lives lost due to air pollution in 2021. Among these deaths, 58% were attributed to fine particulate matter known as PM_2.5, 38% were caused by household air pollution, and the remainder were due to ozone air pollution. India, Nigeria, and Pakistan recorded the highest number of child deaths from air pollution among the 700,000 reported cases.

The new SoGA Report offers a detailed analysis of recently released data from the Global Burden of Diseases study from 2021 that shows the severe health impacts pollutants like outdoor fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), household air pollution, ozone (O₃), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) are having on human health around the world.

The report includes data for more than 200 countries and territories around the world, indicating that nearly every person on earth breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution every day, with far-reaching health implications.

The primary causes of these deaths are household pollutants such as coal, wood, animal dung, and agricultural residue. The report also examines nitrogen dioxide, which is a leading cause of childhood asthma, particularly affecting infants and toddlers. The study emphasizes that traffic exhaust, a significant source of nitrogen dioxide, can severely impact children’s health with long-term consequences.

Researchers indicate that children in low-income countries bear the brunt of air pollution’s severe impacts. The mortality rate attributed to air pollution among children under 5 is 100 times higher in East, West, Central, and Southern Africa compared to their counterparts in high-income nations.

Regarding deaths across all age groups, 9 out of 10 are caused by tiny PM_2.5 particles. These particles penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and even miscarriage. Also, several studies have even found high exposure to these fine particles to be a significant risk factor for premature birth, with an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

The worst offenders are particles smaller than 2.5 microns, approximately 20-28 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. At that size, the particulates can even get into the placenta, and thus, the brains of foetuses.

According to the report, air quality has worsened in recent years, with countries like China (2.3 million), India (2.1 million), Pakistan (256,000), Bangladesh (236,300), Indonesia (221,600), Nigeria (206,700), Egypt (116,500), Myanmar (101,600), Vietnam (99,700), and the Philippines (98,209) accounting for approximately 70% of all global deaths. China and India recorded 4 deaths per minute due to air pollution in 2021.

Despite the grim news, the report also brings a glimmer of hope. Since the year 2000, the mortality rate among children under the age of 5 linked to air pollution has decreased by 53%. This progress is primarily attributed to advancements in clean energy for cooking, enhanced access to healthcare and nutrition, and increased awareness about toxic pollutants.

Furthermore, if governments worldwide implement more initiatives like these and people advocate for eco-friendly policies, we can potentially improve conditions for future generations.

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