According to the new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), almost the entire global population is currently breathing unhealthy air that can threaten people’s lives.
Over 6000 cities in 117 countries are now observing the air quality. The findings have prompted WHO to highlight the importance of curbing fossil fuel use and taking other tangible steps to reduce air pollution levels.
Released in the lead-up to World Health Day, marked on 7th April, which this year celebrates the theme “Our planet, our health”, the 2022 update of WHO’s air quality database introduces, for the first time, ground measurements of annual mean concentrations of NO2, a common urban pollutant and precursor of PM and ozone.
Both pollutants originate mainly from human activities related to fossil fuel combustion.
Meanwhile, the evidence base for the damage air pollution does to the human body has been multiplying and points to significant harm caused by even low levels of many air pollutants.
