NEW DELHI- A recently published report highlights that air pollution in South Asia, one of the world's most polluted regions, can reduce life expectancy by over five years per person.
The University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) revealed in its Air Quality Life Index that this region, encompassing countries like Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, is responsible for more than half of the global loss of life years due to pollution.
Rapid industrialization and population growth have led to a significant deterioration in air quality, with particulate pollution levels now over 50% higher than at the beginning of the century. This issue has become a more substantial health concern than other major threats.
Notably, Bangladesh, the most polluted country, could see an average life expectancy reduction of 6.8 years per person, compared to 3.6 months in the United States. The study employs satellite data to gauge the impact of increased airborne fine particles on life expectancy.
The report reveals that India is accountable for approximately 59% of the world's rise in pollution since 2013, leading to concerns about further shortened lives in its heavily polluted regions. In New Delhi, an immensely populated mega-city with severe pollution, the average lifespan has already decreased by over 10 years.
If global levels of harmful PM 2.5 airborne particles, known to damage the lungs, were brought down to the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended levels, the average life expectancy could increase by 2.3 years. This would result in a total gain of 17.8 billion life years globally.
The report also indicates that adhering to the WHO guidelines of limiting average annual PM 2.5 concentration to 5 micrograms per cubic meter could extend the life of an average person in Pakistan by 3.9 years and in Nepal by 4.6 years.
In contrast, China has managed to reduce its pollution levels by 42.3% from 2013 to 2021. This underscores the importance of governments providing accessible air quality data to address global disparities in accessing resources to combat pollution.