Air Pollution Levels in World’s Poorest Cities Rising Alarmingly

A newly published report reveals that more than 80% of people living in urbanized areas are highly exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution, linked to roughly 7 million premature deaths around the world every year. The latest study by the World Health Organization (WHO) looks into the quality of urban air and discovers that those living in the world's most economically depressed cities are the most affected.

In a study of 3, 000 cities in 103 countries finds that pollution level has almost doubled in the last two years. Interestingly, 98% of cities with more than 100, 000 residents in underdeveloped countries are exposed to dangerous levels of pollution beyond the WHO-recommended benchmark. The figure appears to have dropped to 56% in cities in the more developed parts of the world.

The global health agency associates the declining quality of air in urban areas with a heightened risks of various health conditions like cardiovascular as well as pulmonary and respiratory diseases including asthma.

"Air pollution is a major cause of disease and death. It is good news that more cities are stepping up to monitor air quality, so when they take actions to improve it they have a benchmark," remarked Dr. Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant-Director General, Family, Women and Children's Health as quoted in the organization's official website.

"When dirty air blankets our cities the most vulnerable urban populations-the youngest, oldest and poorest-are the most impacted."

So what causes the pollution to rise beyond the hazard benchmark?

The biggest sources of pollution especially in developing regions are power generation fueled by burning of fossil fuels to produce electricity, transportation, and seemingly untamed industries that continue to operate with utter disregard for environmental concerns. In many poor countries where people still use coal, trash, and wood fuel to burn, the pollution level is also reportedly high.

"The problem with many poor cities is that they have all these sources at the same time," Dr. Sophie Gumy of WHO as quoted by ABC News. "Industries are usually located outside of cities in high-income countries so fewer people are impacted."

In order to prevent diseases and death as a consequence of pollution, WHO urges governments to lessen air pollution. The study finds that deaths caused by intake of particulate matters such as sulfate, nitrates and black carbon could be brought down significantly if countries make conscious effort to curb pollution.

Even with meager resources, the world's poorest cities can still enhance their urban air quality by adopting clean, renewable, and sustainable energy and transportation policies.

"If you have clean transportation means, like cycling, walking or rapid transit systems, where you have a lot of people being carried with a few vehicles, then you have less air pollution," said Carlos Dora of WHO's Department of Public Health and Environmental Policy as quoted by VOA News.