|
 |
|
Setting a Global Clean Air Challenge
In this special contribution to Green
Technology, Maria Neira, the Director of Health and Environment for the
World Health Organization, calls for governments to tighten standards for the most
dangerous air pollutants.
“I’ll go out for a breath of fresh air” is an often-heard phrase but it is
becoming increasingly irrelevant in today’s pollution-sated world. Whether
in Manila, Sao Paolo or London, the air is thick with exhaust fumes from
cars, factory smoke or fly ash from coal burning power plants. Worldwide
it is estimated that two million people − more than half of them in developing
countries − die every year from air pollution.
With a new tougher approach to setting pollution standards, all this could
change. After intensive consultations with more than 80 leading
scientists, the world’s foremost public health agency has come up with
guidelines to reduce the health impacts of air pollution − for the first
time with a global reference.
Now, the World Health Organization will start working with every country
across the globe to turn around this unacceptable situation and reach suggested new standards for air quality.
Under its microscope are four of the most dangerous pollutants to human
health − particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide.
Particulate matter − tiny particles of dust, soot and metal − is considered
the most lethal of the gang of four. Studies have shown that
concentrations in many cities in the developed world have caused serious
risks to health: The average European city dweller can expect to die
nearly a year before the end of his or her natural life span because of
particulate air pollution. Such pollution is known as PM10, for
particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter, and in cities is
largely related to traffic.
Research has shown that the impact of these tiny particles is far more
devastating than originally thought. Even in low concentrations, they can
cause a wide range of health disorders from infant mortality to heart
attacks and lung disease − including cancer. However, the other
pollutants − sulphur dioxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide − are no less
noxious, triggering asthma, bronchitis and inflammation of the respiratory
tract.
Up to now there have been no worldwide guidelines on the acceptable
concentrations of particulate matter − despite the proven health risks. Most
countries around the world have no air quality regulations on this
pollutant and the national standards which do exist vary substantially.
Furthermore, they don’t assure sufficient protection to human health.
While the World Health Organization accepts the need for governments to
set national standards according to their own particular circumstances,
its guidelines aim to indicate levels of pollution at which the risk to
health is minimal. They recommend for example that limits for PM10 and
sulphur dioxide should be set at 20 micrograms per cubic meter, with
nitrogen dioxide at 40 and ozone at 100. If these targets were achieved,
there would be a significant decrease in acute and chronic illnesses. The
reduction alone in PM10 could yield a 15% health gain in most polluted
cities.
[Editor's note: to compare
these proposals to current California and US standards,
click here.]
However, considerable challenges remain to meeting these targets. Cities
currently have trouble controlling this traffic-related type of pollution
and efforts have not been helped by the rise in popularity of
diesel-powered cars, which can produce large amounts of particulate
pollution. Increased emissions of pollutants from combustion of fuels also
produce "greenhouse" gases and lead to global warming. Increased
concentrations of ground level ozone contribute to the deadly effects of
the heat wave.
As well as setting new car emission standards and restricting traffic in
inner cities, authorities need to take a holistic approach that looks at
improving public transport, promoting cycling and walking, encouraging
energy efficiency and helping people make the switch from fossil fuels to
clean energy.
Air pollution is a major environmental health issue and it is vital that
we speed up efforts to reduce the global burden of the diseases it
triggers. Guidelines on their own won’t change anything, but if these
standards are put in place, and respected around the whole world, they
could save hundreds of thousands of lives. If we manage the environment
properly, we can significantly reduce the number of people suffering from
respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. We need to ensure
that protecting human health and environment are seen as interlinked if
future generations are to have any chance of really popping out for a
"breath of fresh air."
To
view the WHO Air Quality Guidelines,
click here.
|
