Air pollution is a bigger concern than you think. The deteriorating needs to be addressed on an urgent basis. In India, air pollution is one of the biggest threats to human health.
As kids, we all studied the harmful effects of air pollution. Now, a recent study has highlighted concerns over increasing levels of air pollution and how it can affect life expectancy of an individual.
WHAT ARE THE FINDINGS?
According to the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago's (EPIC) Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) released on Tuesday, average Indian resident will lose five years of life expectancy at the current air pollution levels.
As per the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) released last year, the average annual PM2.5 concentration should be no higher than five micrograms per cubic metre. It was 10 micrograms per cubic metre earlier.
The report has further revealed that the Indo-Gangetic plain is the most polluted region in the world.
Delhi is the most polluted mega city in the world. Here the average annual PM2.5 levels are exceeding 107 micrograms per cubic metre, which is more than 21 times the WHO guidelines. If the same pollution levels persist, residents of Delhi stand to lose 10 years of life expectancy.
'Of all the countries in the world, India faces the highest health burden of air pollution due to its high particulate pollution concentrations and large population,' the report said.
'Since 2013, about 44 per cent of the world's increase in pollution has come from India, where the particulate pollution level has increased from 53 micrograms per cubic metre to 56 micrograms per cubic metre - roughly 11 times higher than the WHO guidelines,' it added.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
As you have studied at school, at an individual level you can plant more trees, use public transport, avoid overuse of electronic devices, wear a mask, not burn garbage and use fuel like CNG. These might sound very minor steps but this way you can make your contribution