A recent study by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) has uncovered that nearly 2,000 children under the age of five die daily due to air pollution. This disturbing statistic highlights air pollution as the second-leading risk factor for death, affecting both children and the general global population.
Key findings of the report
Titled “State of Global Air (SoGA),” the report reveals that air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021. It emphasizes the dual threat posed by outdoor fine particulate matter and indoor air pollution. Vulnerable groups, particularly children under five, face severe health risks including premature birth, low birth weight, asthma, and lung diseases.
The study, conducted in partnership with UNICEF, found that over 700,000 deaths of children under five in 2021 were linked to air pollution, ranking second only to malnutrition. Household air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels led to 500,000 child deaths, primarily in Asia and Africa. The report underscores the long-lasting health impacts starting from the womb and persisting throughout life.
Global health crisis
Based on data from over 200 countries, the report states that almost every person on Earth breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution daily. Dr. Pallavi Pant, head of global health at HEI and the lead author of the report, highlighted the significant health burdens borne by young children, older populations, and low- and middle-income countries. She urged cities and countries to prioritize air quality in health policies and disease prevention programs.
Deadly particulates
The report attributes over 90% (7.8 million) of air pollution-linked deaths to PM2.5 particles, which are small enough to penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream, leading to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and COPD in adults. Air pollution has now surpassed excessive tobacco use as the second-leading risk factor for death worldwide, following high blood pressure.
Global call to action
The findings call for urgent global action to address air pollution and mitigate its devastating health impacts, particularly on the most vulnerable populations.