How is air pollution important considering the environment, scientific, and social value of air pollution?
1. WHY IS AIR POLLUTION A PRIORITY ISSUE? Air pollution is all around us. Most people in the world live in areas with high levels of air pollution. It harms human health and wellbeing, reduces quality of life, and can negatively impact the economy. These impacts also disproportionately affect the most vulnerable people and communities. Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to public health globally. People everywhere are exposed to air pollution, in the workplace, during travel and in their homes. Exposure to household and ambient (outdoor) fine particulate matter air pollution causes an estimated 7 million premature deaths each year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and is responsible for a substantial amount of disability for those living with diseases caused by air pollution. Air pollution is a solvable problem and more affluent nations have greatly improved their air quality in recent decades. But air pollution is now inequitably affecting peop...