Billions of people around the world still breathe unhealthy air. Updated WHO data say.
Almost the entire global population (99 percent) breathes air that exceeds WHO air quality limits, and threatens their health. A record number of over 6,000 cities in 117 countries are now monitoring air quality, but the people living in them are still breathing unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, with people in low and middle-income countries suffering the highest exposures.
Evidence of the harmful effects of air pollution on the human body is growing rapidly, indicating that significant health damage occurs even at low levels of many air pollutants. Particulate matter, especially PM2.5, can penetrate deeply into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular (stroke) and respiratory effects.
A number of governments are taking steps to improve air quality, but the WHO calls to revise and introduce national air quality standards, monitor air quality and identify sources of pollution, and promote a shift to using only ecologically clean household energy for cooking, heating and lighting.
It is necessary to create safe and affordable public transportation systems, pedestrian and bicycle friendly routes, increase direct investment in energy-efficient housing and power generation.
It was reported earlier that the incidence of respiratory diseases is on rise in Bishkek.
