South Asia is the region most affected by air pollution globally Bangladesh، India، Nepal And Pakistan It is among the four most polluted countries in terms of fine particles.
A recent study found that Air pollution More dangerous to the average person’s health on Earth than smoking or alcohol, the risk is worsening in its global epicenter South Asia while rapidly improving in China.
Research by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) states that funding to meet this challenge falls far short of that allocated to fighting infectious diseases.
The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) annual report shows that air pollution from vehicular and industrial emissions, forest fires and other sources is the ‘biggest outdoor threat to public health’.
According to statistics, if the world reduces pollution to the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the average person’s life expectancy could increase by 2.3 years.
Lung and heart disease, stroke and cancer are linked to fine particles.
In comparison, tobacco use reduces global life expectancy by 2.2 years, while maternal and child malnutrition reduce life expectancy by 1.6 years.
Asia and Africa bear the heaviest burden but still have some of the weakest infrastructure to provide citizens with timely and accurate data.
The entire continent of Africa receives three hundred thousand dollars to combat air pollution.
Christa Hasenkov, director of air quality programs at EPIC, told the French news agency AFP that “where air pollution is worst and where we are using resources to solve the problem globally, these two There is no connection between
“Although there is an international financing partnership called the Global Fund that allocates four billion dollars annually to HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, there is no equivalent for air pollution.”
“Air pollution cuts more years off the average person’s life in DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Cameroon than HIV/AIDS, malaria and other health risks combined,” the report said.
Bangladesh tops
Globally, South Asia is the most affected region. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan are among the four most polluted countries in terms of fine particles.
These particles are detected by satellites and are called particulate matter 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5).
Air pollutant concentrations are then fed into the AQLI metric, which calculates their impact on life expectancy.
This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).
Bangladeshis could add 6.8 years to their lives if they bring PM 2.5 levels down to five micrograms per cubic meter as per WHO guidelines. The average level of PM 2.5 in Bangladesh was 74 micrograms per cubic meter.
Delhi, the capital of India, is the most polluted city in the world with an annual average pollution of 126.5 micrograms per cubic meter.
According to Krista Husenkopf, China has made “remarkable progress in the fight against air pollution” since 2014.
Between 2013 and 2021, its air pollution has decreased by 42.3%. If these improvements continue, the average Chinese citizen’s life expectancy could increase by 2.2 years.
In the United States, legislative measures such as the Clean Air Act have helped reduce pollution by 64.9 percent since 1970, adding an estimated 1.4 years to the life expectancy of American citizens, the report said.
But the increased risk of wildfires, which is linked to warmer temperatures and droughts due to climate change. From Western America to Latin America and Southeast Asia, pollution is increasing.
For example, a historic wildfire in California in 2021 saw fine particulate matter concentrations more than five times the WHO limit in Plumas County.
The report says that the story of North America’s improvement in air pollution in recent decades is similar to that of Europe, but there are clear differences between Western and Eastern Europe.
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#Bangladesh #India #Nepal #Pakistan #among #polluted #countries #Report
**Interview with Christa Hasenkov, Director of Air Quality Programs at EPIC**
**Interviewer**: Thank you for joining us today, Christa. South Asia has been identified as the region with the worst air pollution in the world. What are the primary sources of this pollution?
**Christa Hasenkov**: Thank you for having me. The main contributors to air pollution in South Asia include vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, and agricultural waste burning. Notably, brick kilns are significant sources of pollutants, releasing substantial amounts of particulate matter into the air.
**Interviewer**: The report highlights that air pollution poses a greater health risk than smoking or alcohol. Can you explain the implications of this finding?
**Christa Hasenkov**: Absolutely. Research indicates that air pollution is linked to severe health issues like lung and heart diseases, stroke, and even cancer. In fact, if pollution is reduced to levels recommended by the World Health Organization, it could potentially increase life expectancy by over two years—an incredible impact compared to the reduction caused by tobacco use.
**Interviewer**: What is the Air Quality Life Index, and how does it relate to the air quality crisis in South Asia?
**Christa Hasenkov**: The Air Quality Life Index is a tool that quantifies the impact of air pollution on life expectancy. It utilizes satellite data to measure particulate matter levels. In South Asia, countries like Bangladesh face extreme pollution levels, drastically affecting the average life span. For instance, if Bangladesh could lower PM2.5 levels to WHO standards, people could add nearly 7 years to their lives.
**Interviewer**: The report also mentions a stark contrast in funding for health issues. Can you elaborate on that?
**Christa Hasenkov**: Certainly. While there’s substantial international funding for diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria, air pollution lacks a similar financial commitment. A global fund allocates around four billion dollars annually for those diseases, but for air pollution, the investment is negligible. This disconnect is alarming considering that air pollution may be responsible for more lost life years in certain regions than infectious diseases.
**Interviewer**: What steps can be taken to improve the air quality situation in South Asia?
**Christa Hasenkov**: Addressing air pollution requires a multi-faceted approach: stricter regulations for industries, promoting cleaner technologies, increasing public awareness about the impact of pollution, and building infrastructure for better monitoring of air quality. International collaboration and funding are also essential to implement these changes effectively.
**Interviewer**: Thank you, Christa, for shedding light on this critical issue. Your insights are invaluable as we seek to understand and address the air pollution crisis in South Asia.
**Christa Hasenkov**: It was my pleasure. Thank you for discussing this important topic. Awareness and action are vital.
