On Wednesday, the World Health Organization increased its guidelines for air quality, declaring that air pollution is now one of most serious environmental threats to human life, resulting in 7 million premature deaths each year.
The UN body ranked air pollution's burden as equal to smoking and unhealthy eating, and urgent action must be taken to reduce it.
It stated that almost all of the air quality guidelines levels have been adjusted downwards by WHO, warning that exceeding these levels can pose serious health risks.
"It could save millions of people's lives if we adhere to them."
These guidelines are intended to protect people from adverse effects of pollution. They can be used by governments as a guideline for establishing legally binding standards.
In 2005, the UN health agency issued its last air quality guidelines (or AQGs) which had a major impact on global pollution reduction policies.
The WHO stated that more evidence has been presented to show that air pollution causes health problems at lower levels than was previously believed.
The organization stated that the evidence was sufficient to support actions to reduce exposure to key pollutants in the population, not just in certain countries or regions, but globally.
COP26 Report
These new guidelines are just in time to be presented at the COP26 global summit on climate change, which will take place in Glasgow from October 31 through November 12.
According to the WHO, air pollution is one of the most serious environmental threats to human health.
Maria Neira, the WHO's chief for climate change, stated that the WHO was working on a major report to be presented in Glasgow. It would emphasize the "enormous" health benefits of reducing pollution from climate change.
She told journalists, "Imagine the number of lives that we will save."
New WHO guidelines recommend lower levels of six pollutants in the air, including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone.
Other two examples are PM10 particulate matter and PM2.5 particle matter, which is equal or less than 10, 2.5 and 2.5 microns respectively.
They can penetrate the lungs, but scientists have found that PM2.5 can also enter the bloodstream. This can cause cardiovascular and respiratory problems as well as other health issues, according to the WHO.
The PM2.5 guideline level was halved in response.
More than 90% of the world's population lived where PM2.5 concentrations were higher than the 2005 AQG. The worst-affected area was southeast Asia.
Premature deaths
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief, stated that "almost everyone in the world is exposed unhealthy levels of pollution."
"Inhaling polluted air can increase the risk for respiratory diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, and severe COVID-19."
The WHO reported that high-income countries have seen a marked improvement in air quality since the 1990s. The WHO noted that the death toll and loss of years of health worldwide did not decrease because air quality in other countries has declined in line with economic development.
According to the WHO, "Each year, air pollution is estimated that it causes seven million premature deaths and results in the loss or millions of healthy years of life."
This could lead to decreased lung function and growth in children and respiratory infections, as well as worsening asthma symptoms.
Outdoor air pollution is the leading cause of premature death in adults.
Tedros stated that evidence has been presented since 2005 demonstrating how pollution affects "all parts" of the body, including the brain and the growing baby in the mother's womb.
The organization also stated that evidence is emerging for other effects, such as diabetes or neurodegenerative conditions.
British National Centre for Atmospheric Science Professor Alastair Lewis stated that the guidelines "dramatically raise the level of challenge to society" regarding cutting air pollution.
He said that the PM2.5 guidelines are "the most contentious" because they come from natural sources, including cooking, and can remain airborne for several weeks.
Lewis stated that PM2.5 was, in a certain extent, an unavoidable consequence for living a 21st century life.
Agence France-Presse
