State of Global Air Report-2024

Air pollution has caused 8.1 million deaths around the world in 2021 with  China and India accounting for more than half of the global burden at 2.3 and 2.1 million deaths respectively, according to the recently released State of Global Air Report.

As per the report, air pollution is considered to be one of the biggest killers globally, second only to high blood pressure. In fact, it outranks tobacco consumption as a leading cause of death and disability, said the report. Of the total deaths, 700,000 were children under the age of 5 years. “Air pollution poses an enormous — and growing — public health challenge,” the report states.

India bears the brunt:

• Even though the situation is bleak globally, India is among the countries which bears the highest brunt of air pollution.
• India with 2.1 million deaths and China with 2.3 million deaths due to air pollution, account for 55% of the global burden.
• Not only the particulate matter, Indians are also exposed to high levels of ozone.
• Short-term exposure to ozone has been linked to exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory symptoms while long term exposure is linked to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease  — a condition where the lungs remain inflamed obstructing the airflow.
• The report states that 489,000 deaths globally were attributable to ozone exposure in 2021 — of these deaths nearly 50% or 237,000 deaths took place in the country.

• India also reported the highest number of pollution-linked deaths in children under the age of five in 2021 with at least 169,400 deaths attributed to air pollution.

• As per data, there has been a steady increase in the number of deaths attributable to air pollution in India, barring a small dip seen during the pandemic.

Health challenge:

• Air pollution poses a big public health challenge — becoming the second leading risk factor for early deaths after high blood pressure and ahead of tobacco consumption. Unlike high blood pressure and tobacco consumption — which mainly affects adults — air pollution kills children. With over 169,400 children deaths under the age of five attributable to air pollution, India recorded the highest total number of deaths in children worldwide in 2021.The report states that there is a need to not only improve the air quality but also correct disparities in health.