poorest nations are the hardest hit, a new report has found.
According to the annual State of Global Air Report, published Tuesday by the Health Effects
Institute (HEI), long-term exposure to air pollution contributed to an estimated 6.1 million
deaths across the globe in 2016.
The report says exposure to air pollution led to strokes, heart attacks, lung cancer and
chronic lung disease, causing many of those premature deaths.
It also says that air pollution is the fourth-highest cause of death among all health risks
globally, coming in below high blood pressure, diet and smoking.
Indian commuters make their way through heavy smog in Amritsar in November, 2017.
Indian commuters make their way through heavy smog in Amritsar in November, 2017.
"Air pollution takes a huge personal toll worldwide, making it difficult to breathe for those
with respiratory disease, sending the young and old to hospital, missing school and work,
and contributing to early death," Bob O'Keefe, vice president of HEI, said in a statement.
"The trends we report show real progress in some parts of the world -- but serious
challenges remain to eliminate this avoidable affliction," he added.
According to the report, China and India were found to be jointly responsible for over 50%
of global deaths attributable to pollution.
It also found that India now rivals China for early deaths from outdoor air pollution with 1.1
million being recorded in 2016.
While the report found that China had made some progress in declining air pollution, it
states that Pakistan, Bangladesh and India have experienced the steepest increases in air
pollution levels since 2010.
Pollution is emitted from steel factories in Hancheng, Shaanxi, China, in February, 2017.Pollution is emitted from steel factories in Hancheng, Shaanxi, China, in February, 2017.
The report also took into account those exposed to the burning of solid fuels in their homes,
typically used for cooking or heating their home, resulting in indoor air pollution. In 2016, a
total of 2.5 billion people -- one in three of global citizens -- were exposed to air pollution
from solid fuels such as wood or charcoal.
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Most of those affected live in low- and middle-income nations in Asia and Africa where they
face air pollution both inside and outside their home.
This combined exposure led to one in four air pollution deaths in India, and nearly one in
five in China, the report finds.
The report also states that the number of people relying on solid fuels dropped from an
estimated 3.6 billion around the world in 1990 to about 2.4 billion in 2016, despite a rising
population.
