The study shows that only 0.01% of all inhabitants of the planet are not exposed to polluted air.
In many ways, air quality has actually improved over the past 50 years, including the 78% reduction in six major pollutants that researchers recorded between 1970 and 2020.
The researchers note that this also applies to a dangerous type of pollution from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) created by industry, cars, dust and emissions from forest fires. Statistics show that in recent years, a relative decrease in the content of PM2.5 is also observed in the United States and Europe. However, the reality is that the Earth’s atmosphere is one for all, and pollution levels are still far from ideal.
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A new study by scientists from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, shows that 99.9% of the world’s population is exposed to fine particulate air pollution, which still exceeds levels considered safe for humans by the WHO.
Study
In the new study, scientists took into account both small and large displays of daily fluctuations in PM2.5 pollution across the planet, while in other studies, scientists focused on annual or monthly averages.
According to the latest WHO data, the safe level of exposure to PM2.5 during the day is on average up to 15 micrograms per cubic meter of air, while the annual figure is up to 5 micrograms per cubic meter. The scientists compared the statistics with the WHO recommendations and concluded that more than 70% of the days around the world from 2000 to 2019 had concentrations above the allowable concentration.
It should be noted that in their studies, scientists used several data sources at once, including pollution detectors and air quality monitors, and also took into account satellite observation data. They then used machine learning algorithms to model and estimate PM2.5 concentrations for 16 square kilometers of cells in a grid around the world.
The authors of the study note that this method has its limitations, and therefore the performance of the model may not be as high. However, the researchers plan to improve it in the future.
Research findings
The authors of the study believe that their results make it clear that current air cleaning policies are simply not enough. And they insist that we need to improve air quality:
Reduce emissions from various sources (cars, industry, etc.) Promote the use of clean energy Plant more trees Reduce waste.
Earlier, Focus wrote that the emissions of a coal-fired power plant in the center of Europe were filmed from space for the first time.
