A new UNICEF analysis estimates that more than 100 children below the age of five die every day in East Asia and the Pacific from air pollution, which it classifies as a major child survival threat. More than 325 million children are exposed to PM2.5 levels that are more than five times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, while 373 million are exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) at dangerous levels, leading to UNICEF classifying air pollution as a major threat to child survival.
PM2.5, a fine pollutant found in the atmosphere, can be inhaled into the lungs and can be absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cognitive impairment. Over half of the PM2.5 pollution in the countries most affected is from burning fossil fuels, biomass, and agricultural waste, which only exacerbates climate change.
As a result, it has become the major cause of child mortality in the region.WHO estimates that one in four deaths of children under five years of age is linked to toxic air exposure. The current UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said, “Every breath is important, but for many children it is deadly.”
Women who are pregnant in areas with high levels of air pollution are likely to give birth to premature or small-for-gestational-age infants. Children’s bodies are more vulnerable to pollutants that can lead to lung function impairment and immune system complications, and increase the risks of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular infections as they grow. The worst hit are families who are most exposed to pollutants from highways, factories, and agricultural burning.
Outdoor pollution is the most widespread type of pollution, but indoor air pollution is also toxic. More than half of the deaths from air pollution among children less than five years are due to the burning of solid fuels like wood and coal that emit harmful pollutants into the home environment. Women and children, the most affected group of people, who spend most of their time inside the house, are most exposed to indoor air pollution.
The effects of air pollution are not only seen in the health of children. The number of times schools are closed due to poor air quality hampers children’s attendance in schools, which, in turn, affects their learning abilities and health. Parents have to take leave from work to stay at home with their children who are sick, which also puts a financial burden on many families. The statistics are staggering; in 2019, the cost of air pollution in East Asia and Pacific was $2.5 trillion, or 9.3%of the region’s GDP. As Kunugi points out, the issue is not only health but the need to fight for the children of the future and for a better world for future generations.
To improve conditions, UNICEF is working with governments, businesses, and communities to keep children from being exposed to air pollution. Sensors to measure air quality have been deployed by some governments, they are encouraging the use of clean cooking devices and have implemented stricter pollution standards. But according to the experts, more vigorous measures are needed to protect the region’s children from pollution.
“The solutions exist, and our collective future depends on implementing them,” Kunugi emphasized.
By Angel Kanda