Air pollution could cut South Asians' life expectancy by 5 years

The Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) at the University of Chicago released its latest air quality index on August 29. EPIC used satellite data to calculate the impact of fine particles in the air on average human life expectancy.

Rapid industrialization and rising pollution have led to declining air quality in South Asia. Pollution levels in South Asia, including in countries such as Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, are now 50% higher than at the start of the century, and are overshadowing the dangers posed by larger health threats.

People in Bangladesh, the world's most polluted country, could lose an average of 6.8 years of life expectancy per person, compared with 3.6 months in the US, according to EPIC research.

The study found that India was responsible for about 59% of the increase in pollution levels worldwide since 2013. Toxic air threatens to shorten life expectancy even further in some of India's most polluted areas. In densely populated New Delhi, life expectancy is thought to have fallen by more than 10 years.

The report also said that reducing levels of lung-damaging fine particulate matter in the air, known as PM2.5, to levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) could add 2.3 years to average life expectancy for each person, or a total of 17.8 billion years of life for all Indians.

According to the report, the average life expectancy of each person in Pakistan would increase by 3.9 years if the country met the WHO guidelines of limiting the annual average concentration of PM2.5 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Meanwhile, a person in Nepal would live 4.6 years longer if the recommendation was met.

China has managed to reduce pollution by 42.3% between 2013 and 2021, the report said, stressing the need for governments to create accessible air quality databases to help narrow global inequalities in access to anti-pollution tools.

Minh Hoa (t/h according to Tin Tuc Newspaper, VTV)

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