Invisible killer
Invisible, pervasive and relentless air pollution is an insidious threat that has silently crept into the lives of people worldwide. The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago’s annual Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report leaves no room for doubt as it states that fine particulate air pollution, originating from vehicle and industrial emissions, wildfires and other sources, poses the “greatest external threat to public health”. This microscopic menace is linked to a litany of health problems, including lung disease, heart disease, strokes and cancer. It’s time to recognise air pollution for what it is — a silent killer lurking in the air.
To put this crisis into perspective, WHO has estimated that if the world were to permanently reduce air pollutants and meet its guidelines, the average person could extend their life expectancy by a remarkable 2.3 years. Inequity looms large on this issue. Asia and Africa bear the brunt of air pollution’s devastating effects, yet they possess some of the weakest infrastructure to provide timely and accurate data to their citizens. The epicentre of this global crisis is South Asia, where countries like Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan consistently rank among the top four most polluted nations in the world. The situation in these regions is dire, and demands immediate and substantial action. To compound this injustice, they receive only a meager fraction of global philanthropic funding allocated to tackle air pollution. This profound disconnect is glaring and the global community must step up.
Addressing the air pollution crisis requires a multifaceted approach involving governments, international organisations and civil society. The first step is to recognise air pollution as the emergency it is and allocate global funding and resources accordingly. South Asia, in particular, must take bold steps to reduce emissions, invest in cleaner technologies and improve monitoring and data collection systems.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2023.
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