A US-based research organization and UNICEF have recently published the State of Global Air/2024, the 5th edition of the report, which assesses air pollution exposure and its health impacts from 1990 to 2021.
Key Global Highlights:
- Air pollution is now the second leading global risk factor for death, causing 8.1 million deaths in 2021, with PM2.5 responsible for over 90% of these deaths.
- An alarming 99% of the world’s population lives in areas where levels of PM2.5 pollution exceed healthy standards.
- Long-term exposure to pollutants like PM2.5, ozone (O3), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is linked to chronic diseases such as asthma, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and diabetes. COVID-19 patients are especially vulnerable.
- Populations in low- and middle-income countries face 1.3 to 4 times higher levels of ambient PM2.5 than those in high-income countries.
Key Highlights for India:
- In 2021, nearly 50% of all ozone-related COPD deaths occurred in India, with China following closely.
- Together, India and China accounted for 54% of the total global disease burden linked to air pollution.
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