Almost all (99%) of the world’s population breathe air whose quality exceeds the limits recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This is quite a record, albeit with a negative impact on the health of citizens. People continue to breathe unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.
These are the figures from the latest update of the WHO air quality database, released on the eve of World Health Day, whose theme this year is “Our Planet, Our Health”.
The health authority is for the first time introducing ground-based measurements of annual average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a common urban pollutant and precursor to particulate matter and ozone. It also includes measurements of particles with a diameter equal to or smaller than 10 µm (PM10) or 2.5 µm (PM2.5). Both groups of pollutants arise mainly from human activities related to the combustion of fossil fuels.
Despite the growing interest of cities, rates are not improving. According to WHO, another 2,000 cities and towns are now reporting ground-level particulate matter monitoring data for PM10 and/or PM2.5, compared to the last update. This means that data reporting has increased almost six-fold since the database launched in 2011.
Air pollution and health hazards
The data shows the significant damage caused even by low levels of many air pollutants.
Particulate matter, notably PM2.5, is able to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, affecting the cardiovascular, cerebrovascular (stroke) and respiratory systems. According to experts, there is increasing evidence that particulate matter affects other organs and causes other diseases as well.
On the other hand, NO2 is connected to respiratory diseases, especially asthma, which causes respiratory symptoms (such as cough, wheezing or breathlessness), hospital admissions and emergency room visits.
Last year, the WHO revised its air quality guidelines, making them stricter to help countries better assess the health of their own air.
“Current energy problems underline the importance of accelerating the transition to cleaner and healthier energy systems,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom, head of the agency. The director says there is an urgent need to “address the twin health challenges of air pollution and climate change, highlighting the urgent need to move faster towards a world much less dependent on fossil fuels”.
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