WHO: 99% of globe's population breathes air with unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide
WHO: 99% of globe's population breathes air with unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide

World: The international health agency – World Health Organization (WHO), sharing the data, stated that almost 99% of the globe’s population breathes air with unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide. WHO noted that this threatens their health.  

The international organization tweeted, “Shocking! 99% or almost the entire – world’s population breathes air with unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter & nitrogen dioxide, which threatens their health. #HealthierTomorrow.” 

WHO, on its’ official website, notes, “A record number of over 6000 cities in 117 countries are now monitoring air quality, but the individuals are living in them are still breathing unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter & nitrogen dioxide, with people in low & middle-income countries suffering the highest exposures.”   

“Released in the lead-up to the World Health Day – which this year celebrates the theme – “Our planet, our health”, the 2022 update of the World Health Organization’s air quality database introduces, for the first time, ground measurements of annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a common urban pollutant and precursor of particulate matter and ozone. It also contains measurements of particulate matter with diameters equal to or smaller than – 10 μm (PM10) or 2.5 μm (PM2.5). Both groups of pollutants originate mainly from human activities related to fossil fuel combustion”, WHO further reveals.  

Meanwhile, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, cited, “The current energy concerns underscore the significance of speeding up the transition to a cleaner, healthier energy systems. High fossil fuel prices, energy security, & the urgency of addressing the twin health challenges of air pollution and climate change underscore the pressing need to move faster towards a planet that is much less dependent on fossil fuels.”  

Last year only, WHO made its Air Quality Guidelines more stringent with the motive of assisting the countries to better assess the healthiness of their own air.