The quality of air on the planet earth is becoming poorer and poorer from pollution and this poor air quality is killing a lot of people. The University of British Columbia reported, poor air quality kills 5.5 million people across the world every year. Unless there is aggressive coordinated action worldwide to deal with the problem of air pollution this problem will only get worse.
Researchers have estimated in India alone greater than 1.4 million people die prematurely every year due to indoor and outdoor pollution. In fact the world’s two most populated countries, India and China, together account for 55 percent of the deaths worldwide from poor quality air. It has been estimated by an international team of researchers from India, China, Canada and the United States that despite present initiatives to limit future emissions the number of premature deaths associated with air pollution will increase over the next two decades. Small particles which are dangerous to a person’s health are constantly being released into the air from industrial manufacturing, power plants, vehicle exhaust and burning wood and coal.
The World Health Organization reports that air pollution is a major environmental risk to health. By lowering air pollution levels countries can decrease the burden of disease from chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer. In both the short-term and long-term there would be better cardiovascular and respiratory health of the population with lower the levels of air pollution. It appears that unless the problem of increasing air pollution is resolved with more aggressive action the health and even survival of the human species could be at risk.
