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Page added on May 7, 2014
Only 12% of the world’s population breathe clean air
A report released Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that air quality deteriorates gradually in the world and more than half of the world population living in cities with pollution levels 2.5 times higher recommended by the agency.
The report made an analysis of air quality in 600 cities of 91 thousand countries, which shows that only 12 percent of the global population living in cities breathe clean air.
“The most important thing to note is that the situation is worse in most places, especially in developing countries,” said Maria Neira, Director of Public Health and Environment of WHO.
The pollution is exacerbated particularly in emerging countries, and the presence of suspended particles is particularly high in the cities of the Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia.
The data are there in WHO are not comparable because they refer to different years (from 2008-2012), and that the measurement systems are different, so the agency refuses to make a ranking of the most and least polluted cities .
That said, the report shows that among the most polluted cities in the world are New Delhi, Dhaka, Ulan-Bator (Mongolia), Beijing and Karachi in Asia; Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Cairo in the Middle East; Dakar and Accra in Africa; Sofia and Ankara and in Europe.In Latin America, the city with the worst is Lima, and having cleaner air is Salvador de Bahia in Brazil.
The information in the report was voluntarily submitted by countries, so there may be more extreme cases not included in the study.
Last March, the WHO found that more than seven million people worldwide die annually because of environmental pollution either outside or inside the home, which makes pollution in the main environmental risk to health.
15 Comments on "Only 12% of the world’s population breathe clean air"
jedrider on Wed, 7th May 2014 10:27 pm
That’s interesting because there is at least 88% excess population, so this should come as no surprise ecologically speaking.
GregT on Wed, 7th May 2014 11:02 pm
Even on days when the air pollution index is very low here in Vancouver, there is a very obvious reddish brown smog layer, usually up to around the 2500 ft AGL. (Above ground level) When the pollution index is high, it is difficult to make out the mountains 30 miles away. Makes for great sunsets though.
DC on Wed, 7th May 2014 11:27 pm
The strip mall\town\whatever air I live in, looks ‘clean’ some days. But often times, especially in summer, the layer of haze isn’t hard to miss(we live somewhat higher up). Its not China level, and for that I suppose, I am ‘glad’, but then again, if we had as many cars(we have too many now) and a few factories churning out plastic salad shooters, it would probably be better only by degrees. The trick ‘we’ have mastered, is making our pollution a little less obvious. The corporations threw some lipstick on our particulate emissions and called it a day. The valley in summer has a permanent shroud of car exhaust, which our ‘weather’ service always attributes to ‘fires’, and never mentions cars at all. Strange eh?
MKohnen on Thu, 8th May 2014 2:56 am
The water of Lake Manitoba just to the west of us is still considered drinkable. Personally, I have drank right from the lake numerous times. That’s not too bad for a lake its size. Our air quality is pretty good, but I’m not too convinced that there are many places left with “clean” air. We have a highway less than a half-kilometer away, so I’m sure there are enough pollutants even here.
GregT,
I was born in Abbotsford and lived out there for many years (and in POCO for a time.) I left there in the ’90’s, and haven’t been back there since 2001. But even before I left the pollution was getting ridiculous. At least it rains there a lot, which should help to keep the air a little fresher 🙂
Makati1 on Thu, 8th May 2014 5:22 am
“Only 12% of the world’s population breathe clean air”
BS! NO air is clean anymore. How can it be as it is all constantly mixed and spread. Nor is any water ‘clean’. Rain carries all of the air pollutants into the soil and streams and lakes.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Thu, 8th May 2014 5:27 am
MK, don’t you worry about giardia from the Beavers?
One of the great things about here in the Ozarks of MO is the air. The big shities of MO are to the north and west (KC & STL) so generally the localized pollution is taken east. There is enough mixing over the Great Plains and South to give me decent air here. I know it is not pure. One thing that is hard on me in the spring is the pollen. I have been sneezing allot. We are putting in a ½ mile of fence. I am falling trees along a right away with a hired crew. It is amazing to see the trees fall and upon hitting the ground a dust cloud of pollen. There are grasses, mold, wild flowers, and god knows what else…..then the humidity sets in. Yet, these are natural and always been a part of living here.
Kenz300 on Thu, 8th May 2014 6:38 am
One more reason to transition to wind and solar energy and begin to shut down those coal fired power plants.
action on Thu, 8th May 2014 7:33 am
600 cities of 91 thousand countries is mathematically impossible, and furthermore, my geography admittedly lacking, I amount of countries seems a bit excessive.
GregT on Thu, 8th May 2014 11:39 am
Ya action,
I think the thousand part was a typo.
MKohnen on Thu, 8th May 2014 11:42 am
Davy,
I guess I should worry about giardia, but we swim in these lakes and quarries all the time. If you’re as professional a swimmer as I am (ok, maybe this redefines “professional” into becoming an antonym of itself) then you ingest a lot of water when “swimming.” They say you should boil water before you drink it, but these lakes are just too big for boiling prior to swimming. Also, coming from a small farm background, I was taught that only “city people” worry about things like pathogens. Even though I know better now, I still tend to use the Alfred E. Neuman philosophy of “What? Me worry?” Maybe someday that will kill me, but it’s getting kinda late to kill me young 🙂
GregT on Thu, 8th May 2014 11:52 am
MKhonen,
The entire region has grown immensely since 01, you probably wouldn’t recognize much of it anymore. Langley, Surrey, and Abbotsford have exploded exponentially. Everything that wasn’t ALR is being developed as we speak. Even POCO is going through unprecedented development. Diane Watts, the mayor of Surrey, has boasted about bringing another million people to Surrey by 2020. The new Port Mann bridge project was mostly completed last fall, and was expected ease traffic congestion for another 30 years. The freeway is experiencing gridlock during the morning commute already. The growth here is not only crazy, it is not sustainable.
Last summer we experienced drought conditions for three months. The air quality in the valley was very poor.
Davey on Thu, 8th May 2014 12:04 pm
Mk, worse things to worry about Enjoy paradise !
J-Gav on Thu, 8th May 2014 12:49 pm
Davey – Correct. We definitely do need to relearn to be thankful for the little pieces of ‘paradise’ that can still be found in most of our environments. Don’t remember who said: “Every day is a gift, that’s why it’s called the ‘present.”
Of course that shouldn’t stop anyone from being critical of the numerous attacks on the quality of life we see developing around us: whether it be air, wate, civil rights, freedom of expression, etc.
J-Gav on Thu, 8th May 2014 12:57 pm
Davy – Forgot you were in the Ozarks, though now I remember you mentioned it before. I spent a year there myself, as a 7-8 year-old. Fond memories of running around in the woods, along the rivers – no doubt set me up for my later passion for wilderness hiking … Seemed pretty clean to me at the time (55 years ago).
Davey on Thu, 8th May 2014 1:17 pm
Gav, not what it used to be. Strip mall American drifted in a little along I44 corridor but where my farm is nothing much has changed. Your old home Richland has not changed. Fort wood is huge now. Rolla has doubled in size