Fire-related air pollution claims over 1.5 million lives annually - study
By Charity Kilei |
The report predicts that these numbers will increase in the coming years due to climate change, which is expected to cause more frequent and severe forest fires.
A recent article published in The Lancet reveals that fire-related air pollution is responsible for over 1.5 million deaths globally each year. Countries with the highest mortality rates from fire-induced air pollution include China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, and Nigeria.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines air pollution as the presence of harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the indoor or outdoor environment that alters its natural state.
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The report predicts that these numbers will increase in the coming years due to climate change, which is expected to cause more frequent and severe forest fires.
The study highlights the significant health impacts of fires, particularly on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Between 2000 and 2019, approximately 450,000 deaths annually were linked to heart conditions caused by air pollution, while another 220,000 deaths were attributed to respiratory illnesses resulting from smoke and particulate matter emitted by fires.
Over 90% of the 1.53 million deaths linked to air pollution occurred in low- and middle-income countries, with nearly 40% of these fatalities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Researchers stressed the need for "urgent action" to address pollution-related deaths and underscored the "climate injustice" faced by poorer nations, which are disproportionately affected by these health crises.
At the recent UN climate conference (COP29), wealthier nations pledged $300 billion annually in climate finance by 2035, a figure that fell short of the expectations of developing countries.
In another study released in November, researchers from Germany’s University of Bonn and Brazil’s Federal University of Minas Gerais found that policies aimed at reducing deforestation in the Amazon led to improved health outcomes.
In addition to the global issue of air pollution, recent events have highlighted the ongoing crises of fires and smog. Earlier this month, toxic smog blanketed South Asia, disrupting air travel and forcing schools in New Delhi to close.
The pollution was attributed to a combination of crop burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial activity. Meanwhile, in Ecuador, the government declared a 60-day national emergency in response to 13 active wildfires, worsened by severe drought conditions.
Air pollution remains a major threat to human health, economies, and the environment.
Research also indicates that Nairobi’s air quality is consistently poor, with annual average levels of PM2.5 particles exceeding the WHO’s recommended limit by more than twice the safe threshold (WRI, 2021).
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