The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new guidelines to help reduce levels of key air pollutants, which are killing millions of people every year.
Almost all the air quality guideline levels have been reduced and come with a warning that exceeding them could lead to “significant risks to health”.
In particular, the guidelines for PM2.5 have been halved and those for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) have been cut by 75%.
This is the first time the guidelines have been updated since 2005.
According to WHO, exposure to air pollution causes 7 million premature deaths every year.
In addition, it estimates that in 2019, more than 90% of the global population lived in areas where concentrations exceeded the 2005 WHO air quality guideline for long term exposure to PM.
“The burden of disease attributable to air pollution is now estimated to be on a par with other major global health risks such as unhealthy diet and tobacco smoking, and air pollution is now recognized as the single biggest environmental threat to human health,” the guidelines state.
It adds almost 80% of deaths related to PM2.5 could be avoided in the world if the current air pollution levels were reduced to those proposed in the updated guidelines.
The new guidelines also highlight how disparities in air pollution exposure are increasing worldwide, particularly as low and middle-income countries are still relying on the burning of fossil fuels for economic growth.
“Clean air should be a fundamental human right and a necessary condition for healthy and productive societies. However, despite some improvements in air quality over the past three decades, millions of people continue to die prematurely, often affecting the most vulnerable and marginalized populations,” said WHO regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge.
“We know the magnitude of the problem and we know how to solve it. These updated guidelines give policy-makers solid evidence and the necessary tool to tackle this long-term health burden.”
Responding to the publication of the new guidance, the chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, Sarah Woolnough, said now “is the time for politicians to commit to world-leading air pollution targets to tackle the greatest environmental threat to human health”.
“The WHO’s revised air quality guidelines set the bar for the ambition needed by this government, as well as world leaders, to prevent tens of thousands of early deaths each year,” said Ms Woolnough.
“They also support the urgent need to safeguard those most at risk from toxic air, including all people with lung conditions, children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
“Our analysis shows that 99.8% of schools in England are in areas where air pollution exceeds the WHO’s new guideline limits, an increase of almost 70% from the 2005 guidelines,” she added.
“Without urgent intervention, toxic air will continue to blight the health of generations to come.”