Air Pollution Ranks as Second Leading Cause of Premature Death Globally
A new report released on Wednesday shows that almost 2,000 children die each day because of health problems caused by air pollution, which is now the second biggest risk factor for early death globally.
The Health Effects Institute (HEI), based in the US, stated that in 2021, air pollution was responsible for the deaths of 8.1 million people, accounting for about 12 percent of all global fatalities. This places air pollution ahead of tobacco use and poor diet, making it the second leading cause of early death after high blood pressure. The HEI collaborated with UNICEF for its annual State of Global Air report, emphasizing how young children are particularly vulnerable to polluted air.
The report revealed that over 700,000 children under five years old died due to air pollution in 2021. More than 500,000 of these deaths were linked to indoor cooking with dirty fuels like coal, wood, or dung, mainly in Africa and Asia.
Pallavi Pant, HEI’s head of global health, stated, “These problems can be solved.” The report also highlighted that almost everyone worldwide breathes air with unhealthy pollution levels every day.
Over 90 percent of the deaths were associated with PM2.5 pollutants, tiny particles that can lead to lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other health issues.
The report aimed to link disease rates with levels of air pollution, but it may still underestimate the full impact, especially on brain health and neurodegenerative diseases, according to Pant. The report also noted that ozone pollution, expected to worsen due to climate change, was connected to nearly 500,000 deaths in 2021.
