More than seven million people worldwide die every year as a result of air pollution, and we are all exposed to it. — AFP
An estimated 99% of the world’s population breathes air that exceeds the UN health body’s limits for particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, said its annual report published on April 4 .Every year, more than seven million people worldwide die as a result of air pollution, said WHO environmental health officer Maria Neira.
Nitrogen dioxide, which is mainly produced in vehicle combustion engines, is associated with respiratory problems.Its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke of the “urgency of addressing the twin health challenges of air pollution and climate change”, saying they “underscore the pressing need to move faster towards a world that is much less dependent on fossil fuels.”