Air pollution linked to 135 million premature deaths: Study June 10, 2024

Pollution from man-made emissions and other sources, such as forest fires, has been linked to around 135 million premature deaths worldwide between 1980 and 2020, according to a University of Singapore study. (File photo)

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Air pollution linked to 135 million premature deaths: Study

Pollution from man-made emissions and other sources such as forest fires has been linked to an estimated 135 million premature deaths worldwide between 1980 and 2020, a Singapore university said on Monday.

Climatic phenomena such as El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole have worsened the effects of these pollutants by intensifying their concentration in the air, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said, revealing the results of a study led by its researchers.

The tiny particles called particulate matter 2.5, or “PM 2.5”, are harmful to human health when inhaled because they are small enough to enter the bloodstream. They come from vehicle and industrial emissions, as well as natural sources such as fires and dust storms.

Fine particulate matter “has been associated with approximately 135 million premature deaths worldwide” from 1980 to 2020, the university said in a statement about the study, published in the journal Environment International.

The study found that people were dying earlier than the average life expectancy due to diseases or conditions that could have been treated or prevented, including stroke, heart and lung disease, and cancer.

Weather patterns increased deaths by 14%, according to the study.

Asia had the “highest number of premature deaths attributable to PM 2.5 pollution”, with more than 98 million people, mostly in China and India, according to the university.

Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Japan also recorded significant numbers of premature deaths, ranging from 2 to 5 million people, it added.

The study is one of the most comprehensive to date on air quality and climate, using 40 years of data to provide an overview of the effects of particulate matter on health.

“Our findings show that changes in weather patterns can worsen air pollution,” said Steve Yim, associate professor at NTU's Asian School of the Environment, who led the study.

“When certain weather events occur, such as El Nino, pollution levels can increase, which means more people can die prematurely due to PM 2.5 pollution,” Yim added.

“This highlights the need to understand and take into account these weather patterns when tackling air pollution to protect the health of the global population.”

The Singaporean researchers studied satellite data from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the levels of particulate matter in the Earth's atmosphere.

They analyzed statistics on deaths from pollution-related diseases from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent research center based in the US.

Information on weather patterns during the period was obtained from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The study focused only on the effects of common weather patterns on air pollution, Yim said, adding that the impact of climate change will be the subject of future studies.

Researchers from universities in Hong Kong, Britain, and China also took part in the study.

The World Health Organization has said that the “combined effects of ambient air pollution and household air pollution” are associated with 6.7 million premature deaths worldwide each year.

mba/tym