Almost all inhabitants of the Earth breathe air, the level of pollution of which poses a threat to their health, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Almost all the inhabitants of the planet (99%) breathe air that is polluted in excess of acceptable quality standards established by WHO and therefore poses a threat to health,” the organization said in a press release to the air quality report. It notes that people everywhere breathe “air with high concentrations of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, with the highest levels of exposure in low- and middle-income countries.”
According to the report, air pollution can lead to serious health problems. For example, particulate matter enters the human lungs and enters the circulatory system, which can lead to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, in particular asthma.
WHO is calling on authorities around the world to step up action to improve air quality, including switching to clean household energy and stricter vehicle emissions standards.
The WHO Air Quality Report and Database 2022 has been released ahead of World Health Day, which is observed annually on 7 April.
