Air pollution has always been dangerous, perhaps more so than people usually realize or appreciate. It has risen to become the world’s sixth leading cause of human mortality, accounting for one out of every six fatalities globally. It causes roughly 9 million fatalities every year, accounting for one in every six deaths globally.
Aside from the 9 million fatalities, or 16% of all deaths globally, air pollution is projected to have cost $4.6 trillion in economic losses in 2015, or 6.2% of global economic output.
Pollution has traditionally been regarded as a local issue to be tackled by subnational and national legislation, or, in higher-income nations, through regional policy. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that pollution is a global concern, and that its drivers, its dispersion, and its effects on health transcend local boundaries and demand a global response.
Global efforts can complement other global environmental policy programs, particularly because a large-scale, rapid transition away from all fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy is an effective strategy for preventing pollution while also slowing climate change, providing a double benefit to global health.
However, considering today’s strong inclinations toward nationalism, protectionism, and withdrawal into their own cultural bubbles and corners of the world, this looks to be a pleasant fantasy.
Reference- Journal The Lancet Planetary Health, Clean Technica, National Geographic, BBC World