cover image: World - The Global Cost of Ambient PM2.5 Air Pollution

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World - The Global Cost of Ambient PM2.5 Air Pollution

11 Nov 2020

Air pollution is a major cause of death and disease. ‘Ambient air pollution’ refers to contamination of outdoor air; ‘household air pollution’ refers to contamination of indoor air. Ambient (or outdoor) air pollution is the world’s leading environmental risk to health and the cause of morbidity and mortality from diseases such as ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, and pneumonia. Most deaths related to air pollution are caused by human exposure to fine inhalable particles or fine particulate matter, also known as PM. Many people in developing countries live in places where the ambient concentrations of PM2.5 are multiple times higher than the health-based guideline values for ambient air quality established by the World Health Organization. About 90 percent of deaths related to air pollution occur in low, and middle-income countries (LMICs) where outdoor air pollution is driven by rapid urbanization, increased motorization and energy use, and burning of wastes and solid fuels. Global health crises further highlight the need for continued action in addressing a global and cross-cutting challenge such as air pollution. The current global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, underscores the importance of reducing air pollution through preventive and abatement measures. People who contract COVID-19 and have underlying medical problems such as heart disease, lung disease, and cancer are at a higher risk of developing serious illnesses that could lead to death. It is noteworthy that air pollution is a cause of the aforementioned diseases. Ongoing research is finding relationships between air pollution and the incidence of illness and death due to COVID-19. Such research suggests that PM2.5 air pollution plays an important role in increased COVID-19 incidence and death rates. One such study reported that PM2.5 is a highly significant predictor of the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and related hospital admissions (Andree 2020).
health environment air pollution cancer industry mortality coronavirus (covid-19) world the world region health care services industry law and development nutrition and population pollution management & control brown issues and health law and justice institutions air quality & clean air

Authors

Awe,Yewande Aramide,Larsen,Bjorn Klavdy,Hoossein,Shafick,Sanchez-Triana,Ernesto

Disclosure Status
Disclosed
Doc Name
World - The Global Cost of Ambient PM2.5 Air Pollution
Document Date
2020-11-01
Published in
United States of America
Rel Proj ID
1W-Global Cost Of Ambient P,P171601
Total Volume(s)
1
Unit Owning
N/A,GLOBAL ENR PM
Version Type
Final
Volume No
1

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