Air pollution kills more than 8 million people worldwide, report says

Ciphertext. – Air pollution caused 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, according to a report released on Wednesday, and even became the second leading cause of death among children under five. UNICEF and the Health Effects Institute (HEI).

The fifth edition of the State of Global Air (SoGA), compiled for the first time by independent non-profit research organization HEI in collaboration with UNICEF, further reveals that exposure to air pollution is linked to a variety of factors: 700,000 deaths of children under the age of five.

At least 500,000 of these child deaths are linked to household air pollution from stoves burning polluting fuels, particularly in Africa and Asia. However, under-five mortality has fallen by 53% since 2000 due to the use of clean energy.

The report, which includes data from more than 200 countries and territories around the world, shows that almost everyone on the planet breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution every day.

The new SoGA report, analysing data collected for the 2021 Global Burden Study, notes that the biggest air pollutants include fine particulate matter (PM2.5), household air pollution, ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Air pollution and climate change

PM2.5 air pollution comes from the burning of fossil fuels and biomass in sectors such as transport, homes, coal-fired power plants, industrial activities or forest fires.

These emissions not only affect people’s health, but also produce greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to “global warming”.

For the first time, this year’s report includes exposure levels and health-related effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), including the impact of NO2 exposure on the development of asthma in children.

Health effects

Poor air quality has become the second leading cause of death after high blood pressure in adults and malnutrition in children under five.

Researchers also noted that “millions of people” suffer from debilitating chronic diseases, which puts enormous strain on health care systems, economies and societies, the document states.

Children under five are “particularly vulnerable” to health effects such as premature birth, low birth weight, asthma and other lung diseases.

“Despite progress in maternal and child health, nearly 2,000 children under the age of five die every day from the health effects of air pollution,” said Kitty van der Heijden, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director.

“We hope that this report on the state of the world’s air will both inform and provide inspiration for change,” said Elena Kraft, President of HEI. She stressed that improving air quality and global public health “is tangible and doable.”

In regions such as Latin America, Africa and Asia, steps are being taken to improve air quality, such as installing air pollution monitoring networks, implementing stricter air quality policies or compensating for traffic-related air pollution through the use of hybrid or electric vehicles, the report said.