The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning, identifying air pollution as the most significant global environmental threat to public health.
Shockingly, it leads to the premature deaths of seven million people each year, primarily due to non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
This burden weighs heavily on urban centers worldwide, prompting city leaders to take urgent action.
In a press release on Wednesday, the WHO emphasized that the sheer size of our urban populations and their proximity to these challenges means that cities hold immense potential for change.
As mayors and city officials, they find themselves in a race against time. With the rapid growth of urban populations, more children each year are exposed to toxic air.
Therefore, delaying the implementation of reliable air pollution monitoring systems and harnessing this data to shape public health policies is not an option.
The WHO calls on cities across the globe to adopt effective air monitoring programs and use data to enhance public health measures aimed at improving the lives of their residents.
This plea comes at a critical juncture as world leaders gather for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28).
The organization stresses that it’s our responsibility as leaders to engage our communities in this process transparently.
Ensuring that high-quality air quality data is readily accessible to the public is crucial. Accessing air pollution data for our cities allows us to account for the burden and health consequences resulting from different exposure levels.
Most importantly, it empowers us to take precise and effective measures targeting the most vulnerable populations, ultimately saving lives.
In conclusion, the WHO remains committed to breaking the destructive cycle of climate change and air pollution’s catastrophic health impacts on urban centers.
As part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, we are diligently working to prevent non-communicable diseases and create healthier, safer, more resilient, and equitable cities.
Air pollution stands as the second leading cause of non-communicable disease-related deaths globally, following tobacco. Non-communicable diseases linked to air pollution include heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
According to the WHO, nearly all of the world’s population, approximately 99%, breathe air exceeding the organization’s guideline limits.
Citizens in low and middle-income countries bear a disproportionate burden, with around 89% of premature deaths occurring in these regions.
