Pollution is a global challenge that affects every living creature on the planet. It is not only an environmental issue but also a public health emergency. According to a recent report, pollution has been causing approximately 17% of deaths worldwide. The report stated that pollution was responsible for around 9 million premature deaths in 2019, and this figure has remained consistent for the last five years.
Pollution remains the biggest threat to global health, leading to millions of premature deaths each year, according to a recent study by the Lancet Planetary Health journal. Shockingly, over 90% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Richard Fuller, the lead author of the report, expressed concern over the lack of attention given to this pressing issue. He emphasised that the alarmingly high death toll of 9 million annually should be cause for significant concern.
The study, based on 2019 data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors, revealed that air pollution is responsible for most premature deaths, totalling 6.7 million. Water pollution claimed 1.4 million lives, while lead poisoning was responsible for nearly a million deaths. These findings echo a similar analysis conducted in 2015, which also identified air and water pollution as the primary culprits.
New data highlights a concerning change in the sources of pollution-related deaths. While overall numbers have remained steady over the past five years, the regions affected and the primary causes have shifted. In the past, indoor and household air pollution, along with contaminated water, was responsible for most of these deaths.
Encouragingly, there has been a decrease in these traditional pollutants, as households in China and India have switched to cleaner gas for cooking. However, this positive trend is overshadowed by the mounting health risks posed by fossil fuel burning, vehicle emissions, and toxic chemical pollution in developing nations.
A worrying global…
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