How Clean is the Air Around Us?

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – To the naked eye, everything may look clean and healthy, but air pollution continues to be the world’s largest environmental health threat.

In 2019, 99 percent of the world’s population was living in an area where air quality guidelines did not meet World Health Organization standards.

In fact, the WHO reports that outdoor or ambient air pollution is estimated to have caused 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2019.

Air pollution is the second highest risk factor for noncommunicable diseases and can impact children under age 18 and pregnant women disproportionately.

These poisonous gases include nitrogen oxides from fuel burned at high temperatures; Sulphur oxide from the burning of coal, oil or diesel; and ozone formed from the chemical reaction of car or power plant emissions and sunlight. They can inflame and damage airways, aggravating asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

How is air pollution measured? In tiny particles known as PM2.5 – the size of their diameter – which can penetrate the lungs and increase risk of disease. The WHO recommends PM2.5 levels of no more than five micrograms per cubic meter.

According to the World Air Quality Report 2022, 13 out of 131 countries and regions surveyed succeeded in achieving PM2.5 concentrations at or below WHO guidelines.

IQAir is a free tool that measures air quality around the world, with data updated daily. For instance, here in Nassau, air quality is currently good – with PM2.5 levels at 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter.

But there is still a lot of work to do, to keep air quality levels in an acceptable range, and reduce air pollution for the health of our global communities and cities.