Air pollution poses a greater threat to human health on a global scale than smoking or alcohol consumption, especially in South Asia. This was revealed by a groundbreaking study conducted by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), which highlighted the lack of funding dedicated to combating this issue compared to infectious diseases. The annual Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report from EPIC emphasized that fine particulate air pollution, originating from vehicle and industrial emissions, wildfires, and other sources, remains the “greatest external threat to public health.”
According to the data, if the world were to permanently reduce these pollutants to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines, the average person would gain 2.3 years of life expectancy. This translates to a remarkable 17.8 billion life years saved. Fine particulate matter has been linked to severe health issues such as lung disease, heart disease, strokes, and cancer.
Comparatively, tobacco use reduces global life expectancy by 2.2 years, while child and maternal malnutrition leads to a reduction of 1.6 years. The report underlines that the impact of fine particulate air pollution on global life expectancy is comparable to smoking, more than three times that of alcohol use and unsafe water, more than five times that of transport injuries like car crashes, and more than seven times that of HIV/AIDS.
Asia and Africa face the greatest burden of air pollution but lack the necessary infrastructure to provide timely and accurate data to their citizens. Furthermore, these regions receive a disproportionately small share of global philanthropic funding. For example, the entire continent of Africa receives less than $300,000 to address air pollution.
“There is a profound disconnect between the severity of air pollution and the allocation of resources globally to solve this issue,” said Christa Hasenkopf, the director of air quality programs at EPIC. While there is an international financing partnership for addressing HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis called the Global Fund that disburses $4 billion annually, there is no equivalent dedicated to combat air pollution. However, the report emphasizes that air pollution causes more years of life loss in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other health threats.
South Asia, comprising Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, is the most impacted region globally. These countries rank among the top four most polluted countries, based on annualized, population-weighted averages of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The AQLI metric calculates the impact of air pollution concentrations on life expectancy using peer-reviewed methods. For example, residents of Bangladesh, with an average PM2.5 level of 74 micrograms per cubic meter, could gain 6.8 years of life if pollution levels were reduced to the WHO guidelines of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Delhi, the capital city of India, is identified as the “most polluted megacity in the world,” with an annual average particulate pollution level of 126.5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Conversely, China has made remarkable progress in combating air pollution since 2014, with a significant drop of 42.3 percent in pollution levels between 2013 and 2021. If these improvements continue, the average Chinese citizen could enjoy an additional 2.2 years of life expectancy. Similarly, legislative actions like the Clean Air Act in the United States contributed to a 64.9 percent reduction in pollution since 1970, extending the life expectancy of Americans by 1.4 years. However, the escalating threat of wildfires, attributed to climate change’s hotter temperatures and drier conditions, is causing pollution spikes from the western United States to Latin America and Southeast Asia. For instance, during California’s historic wildfire season in 2021, Plumas County experienced fine particulate matter concentrations over five times the WHO guideline.
Although North America and Europe have made improvements in air pollution in recent decades, there are significant differences between the western and eastern regions of Europe. Bosnia emerges as the most polluted country in the continent.
In conclusion, air pollution constitutes a severe global health risk, surpassing the impact of smoking and alcohol consumption. The research conducted by EPIC highlights the urgent need for increased funding and international collaboration to address this issue, particularly in South Asia and Africa, where the burden is greatest. Moreover, the study underscores the success of efforts in China and the United States while emphasizing the escalating threat of wildfires worldwide. It is crucial to prioritize this issue to ensure a healthier future for all.
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