In a recent press release, the World Health Organization addressed the effects of air pollution on human health, as well as how to combat dangerous air pollutants. In mitigating these adverse impacts, the organization developed the “WHO Strategic Approach for Air Quality, Energy Access and Health,” which outlines the 2023-2030 plans to protect the global population from air pollution’s harmful effects.
According to the report, 6.7 million deaths worldwide were attributable to air pollution in 2019, having mostly caused or aggravated noncommunicable diseases like heart disease. This makes it the second leading cause of noncommunicable diseases around the world, only being surpassed by tobacco.
The organization emphasized that the effort to reduce the emission of pollutants into the air rests on the shoulders of all societies, from national governments setting national air pollution standards to individual citizens holding their governments accountable for setting and upholding these standards.
One pollutant highlighted in the article was particulate matter (PM), which consists of microscopic debris released by processes such as the burning of fuel to cook, power vehicles, and generate power at energy plants. PM smaller than 10 micrometers, and especially smaller than 2.5 micrometers can make their way very deep into the lungs and cause respiratory distress and disease and is therefore especially dangerous.
WHO summarizes ways in which they work with organizations around the world to help reduce air pollution, including informing the public, establishing ways of measuring and monitoring pollution, and strengthening governments to better address and reduce air pollution.
By Sarah Ortega