WHO says urban air pollution rising at alarming rate

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported at the weekend in Geneva that air pollution levels has risen to eight per cent on average in the world’s urban areas during the past few years.

Maria Neira, Head, WHO’s Department of Public and Environmental Health, noted that 80 per cent of the people in cities that monitor air quality around the world breathe pollutants that exceed WHO levels.

“Urban air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate, wreaking havoc on human health.

“Falling air quality increases the risk of strokes, heart diseases, lung cancer and chronic respiratory problems,’’ she said.

Neira said WHO compiled data from 3,000 cities in 103 countries, before arriving at the results.

“Between 2008 and 2013, urban air became cleaner only in North America, Europe and in wealthy Asian countries.

“All other world regions registered a worsening trend,’’ she said.

She said the most polluted air was recorded in Arab and Western Asian cities, as well as in South and in South-east Asia.

Neira said the amount of small particles in the air often exceeds WHO’s recommended levels by five to 10 times in these regions.

She identified Delhi has the dirtiest air, followed by Cairo, Dhaka, Kolkata, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, Istanbul, Mexico City and Sao Paulo.

Carlos Dora, WHO Environmental Health Expert, warned that it is very crucial for city and national governments to make urban air quality a health and development priority.

He noted that when air quality improves, the health costs from air pollution-related diseases would also shrink.

Dora added that worker productivity would expand and life expectancy would also grow.