Estimates Of Deaths Caused By Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution More Than Doubles Using New Measures Of Exposure

One In Eight Total Global Deaths Being Caused By Air Pollution

Air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk causing an estimated 7 million deaths in 2012, according to the World Health Organization.

In its press release, WHO states the use of improved measurements and technology has enabled a more detailed analysis of health risks from a wider demographic spread that now includes rural as well as urban areas. Also, the new data reveal a stronger link between both indoor and outdoor air pollution exposure and cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, as well as between air pollution and cancer. This is in addition to air pollution’s role in the development of respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

WHO now estimates indoor air pollution was linked to 4.3 million deaths in 2012 in households cooking over coal, wood and biomass stoves. In the case of outdoor air pollution, WHO estimates there were 3.7 million deaths in 2012 from urban and rural sources worldwide.

According to WHO’s Carlos Dora, “Excessive air pollution is often a by-product of unsustainable policies in sectors such as transport, energy, waste management and industry…WHO and health sectors have a unique role in translating scientific evidence on air pollution into policies that can deliver impact and improvements that will save lives.”