Helena Joyce
Air pollution is a major threat to human health and the climate. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost everyone (99%) breathe air that exceeds the recommended limits and contains high levels of pollutants. While pollution affects everyone, certain populations are more vulnerable than others. Women and children, for instance, bear the brunt of the health impact of polluting fuels and technologies in homes. In 2021, air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally, making it the second leading risk factor for death. The latest estimates from the WHO in 2021, referring to data from 2016, suggest that 4.2 million people die prematurely each year due to outdoor air pollution. However, another study estimates a higher figure of 5.5 million premature deaths annually due to anthropogenic air pollution, including indoor and outdoor sources.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total deaths from air pollution | 8.8 million per year |
| Deaths from outdoor air pollution | 4.5 million per year (WHO estimate) or 4.2 million per year (another WHO estimate) |
| Deaths from indoor air pollution | 3.2 million per year |
| Deaths from burning fossil fuels | 3.6 million per year |
| Deaths from PM2.5 air pollution | 7.8 million per year |
| Deaths from ozone | 489,518 per year |
| Deaths from COPD | 14,000 ozone-related deaths in the US |
| Deaths of children under 15 | 700,000 per year |
| Deaths of adults over 70 | 3.4 million per year |
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What You'll Learn
- Air pollution is the second-leading risk factor for death, causing 8.1 million deaths in 2021
- % of the estimated 6.7 million air pollution-related deaths in 2019 were among children under 15 and adults over 70
- Fossil fuel burning in power generation, transportation and industry causes 3.6 million premature deaths annually
- Household air pollution causes 40% of air pollution-related deaths, disproportionately affecting children
- Outdoor air pollution causes 60% of air pollution-related deaths, disproportionately affecting the elderly
Air pollution is the second-leading risk factor for death, causing 8.1 million deaths in 2021
Air pollution is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, affecting almost every part of the world. According to the State of Global Air (SoGA) report, around 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021 were linked to air pollution, making it the second-leading risk factor for death, after high blood pressure and before tobacco. Of these 8.1 million deaths, 700,000-709,000 were children under the age of five, making it the second-leading risk factor for death globally for this age group, after malnutrition.
The SoGA report is a collaboration between the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an independent US-based non-profit research organisation, and UNICEF. The report is based on data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD 2021) of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. It involves more than 10,000 researchers worldwide and produces globally comparable estimates of the impact of 88 environmental, behavioural, and dietary risk factors on health across 204 countries and territories.
The report found that 48% of air pollution-related deaths were linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, 30% to lower respiratory infections, and 28% to ischemic heart diseases. The greatest health impacts of air pollution are seen in children. Children are more vulnerable to air pollution as they inhale more air per kilogram of body weight and absorb more pollutants relative to adults while their lungs, bodies, and brains are still developing. UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Kitty van der Heijden stated that "every day almost 2000 children under five years die because of health impacts linked to air pollution".
The report also highlights the link between air pollution and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Air pollution can cause inflammation in the lungs and throughout the body, resulting in oxidative stress and damaging vital organs like the heart. This can lead to NCDs such as stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In 2021, long-term exposure to ozone contributed to an estimated 489,000 deaths globally, including 14,000 ozone-related COPD deaths in the United States.
Addressing air pollution is crucial for improving public health and reducing the burden of disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), policies that support sustainable land use, cleaner household energy, efficient housing, and better waste management can effectively reduce key sources of ambient air pollution. Additionally, phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to clean energy sources can significantly reduce air pollution-related deaths.
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60% of the estimated 6.7 million air pollution-related deaths in 2019 were among children under 15 and adults over 70
Air pollution is a major threat to public health, and it has become the second-leading risk factor for death globally. According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, an estimated 6.7 million air pollution-related deaths occurred in 2019, with 60% of these deaths among children under 15 and adults over 70. This vulnerable demographic accounted for a significant proportion of the total air pollution-related fatalities, with 3.4 million deaths among the elderly and 700,000 deaths among children under 15.
The impact of air pollution on children is particularly concerning, as it can have lifelong health and well-being implications. UNICEF estimates that approximately 2000 children under five years of age die daily due to health issues linked to air pollution. This makes air pollution the second-leading cause of death in this age group, surpassed only by malnutrition. The death rate linked to children under five has decreased by 53% since 2000, largely due to improved access to clean energy for cooking and advancements in healthcare, nutrition, and awareness about the dangers of household air pollution.
Among adults over 70, air pollution-related deaths have risen by 21%, driven primarily by outdoor air pollution. Elderly adults are more susceptible to the deadly effects of outdoor air pollution, with two-thirds of air pollution-related deaths in this age group attributed to ambient sources. Overall, outdoor sources of air pollution cause 60% of related deaths, while household air pollution contributes to the remaining 40%.
Particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, is a significant contributor to air pollution-related deaths. These tiny particles, measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, can remain in the lungs and enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of various non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The burning of fossil fuels in power generation, transportation, and industry is a major source of PM2.5 emissions, and phasing out these fuels in favor of clean energy sources could prevent up to 3.6 million premature deaths annually.
To address the issue of air pollution-related deaths, governments, and development partners have set targets to reduce fatalities by 50% by 2030. This includes implementing measures to reduce average PM2.5 exposure, increasing access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, and regularly monitoring and reporting on air quality progress. By taking these steps, we can protect the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, including children under 15 and adults over 70, and mitigate the deadly effects of air pollution.
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Fossil fuel burning in power generation, transportation and industry causes 3.6 million premature deaths annually
Air pollution has become the second-leading risk factor for death globally, including for children under five years old. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds its guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants. These pollutants are closely linked to the earth's climate and ecosystems.
One of the largest contributors to outdoor air pollution is indoor air pollution caused by energy poverty. The pollution generated within homes also affects the outside environment, resulting in high levels of indoor and outdoor air pollution.
Outdoor pollution sources include residential energy for cooking and heating, vehicles, power generation, agriculture/waste incineration, and industry. Fossil fuel burning in these sectors, such as transportation, residential homes, coal-burning power plants, and industrial activities, has severe health consequences. The combustion of fossil fuels releases fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) that can enter the lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of various diseases.
A study by Lelieveld et al. in 2019 found that 5.5 million people die prematurely each year due to anthropogenic air pollution, including pollution caused by fossil fuel burning. Specifically, the study attributed 3.6 million premature deaths annually to the burning of fossil fuels in power generation, transportation, and industry. This means that transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy sources could prevent 3.6 million deaths each year.
The health impacts of burning fossil fuels are significant, and addressing this issue through policy interventions and initiatives is crucial for protecting public health and mitigating climate change.
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Household air pollution causes 40% of air pollution-related deaths, disproportionately affecting children
Air pollution is a leading risk factor for death globally, with 8.1 million deaths attributed to it in 2021. It has surpassed tobacco and poor diet as a risk factor for death. The death toll from burning fossil fuels alone is 3.6 million per year.
While outdoor air pollution causes 60% of related deaths, household air pollution causes 40% of air pollution-related deaths. In 2021, exposure to air pollution was linked to more than 700,000 deaths of children under five years old, making it the second-leading risk factor for death globally for this age group, after malnutrition. A significant number of these child deaths, around 500,000, were linked to household air pollution due to cooking indoors with polluting fuels, mostly in Africa and Asia.
Household air pollution is generated by the use of polluting fuels and technologies in and around the home, which contain a range of health-damaging pollutants, including small particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. In poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can have levels of fine particles 100 times higher than acceptable. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the health risks of household air pollution as they are typically responsible for household chores such as cooking and collecting firewood, and spend more time exposed to harmful smoke from polluting stoves and fuels.
The use of polluting fuels and technologies also requires significant time for cooking on inefficient devices and gathering and preparing fuel. This increases the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and consumes considerable time for women and children, limiting education and other opportunities.
To address the health inequities caused by household air pollution, significant policy changes are needed to rapidly increase the number of people with access to clean fuels and technologies by 2030. This includes expanding the use of solar, electricity, biogas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, alcohol fuels, and biomass stoves that meet the emission targets in the WHO Guidelines.
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Outdoor air pollution causes 60% of air pollution-related deaths, disproportionately affecting the elderly
Outdoor air pollution is a major environmental health problem affecting individuals in low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Outdoor air pollution in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide per year in 2019. This number rose to 6.7 million in 2019, according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), with 60% of these deaths, or 3.4 million, occurring among adults over 70 years. This is in stark contrast to the number of deaths among children, which was 700,000.
Outdoor air pollution is caused by residential energy for cooking and heating, vehicles, power generation, agriculture/waste incineration, and industry. The burning of fossil fuels and biomass in these sectors results in the emission of particulate matter (PM), which is a major risk for human health. PM2.5, which measures less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, is emitted outdoors and can enter the bloodstream, affecting many organ systems and increasing the risk of noncommunicable diseases in adults such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The WHO Global air quality guidelines (AQG) offer global guidance on thresholds and limits for key air pollutants that pose health risks. By achieving interim target one (35 µg/m3), around 300,000 deaths could be saved worldwide annually. Policies and investments that support sustainable land use, cleaner household energy and transport, energy-efficient housing, power generation, industry, and better municipal waste management can effectively reduce key sources of ambient air pollution.
The elderly are more vulnerable to the health risks of outdoor air pollution, while children are more vulnerable to household air pollution. Efforts to reduce air pollution will be most effective when they target the major causes of air pollution affecting these vulnerable age groups.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that 8.8 million people die prematurely each year due to air pollution from anthropogenic and natural sources.
UNICEF reports that almost 2000 children under five years old die every day due to health issues linked to air pollution. According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, 700,000 children under 15 years old died from air pollution in 2019.
The GBD study found that 3.4 million adults over 70 years old died from air pollution in 2019.
Air pollution causes noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, is a major risk to human health. These particles are emitted from vehicles, coal-burning power plants, industrial activities, waste burning, and household cooking and heating. They are small enough to enter the lungs and bloodstream, affecting multiple organ systems.
