More than 90% of children in the world breathe a highly polluted air – a "time bomb"

"The polluted air poisons millions of children and ruins their lives," says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO. "It's inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and flourish fully. "

In a world that is more and more populated and more and more developed, we use more and more resources, which weighs more and more heavily on the quality of our atmosphere. On the one hand, rising temperatures fueled by the burning of fossil fuels. On the other hand, we have the associated air pollution.

Now, a new WHO study highlights a new problem: Too many children around the world breathe polluted air. This is not a new discovery, but the scale at which it occurs is shocking.

"Air pollution is delaying the development of our children's brains, affecting their health in more ways than we thought," said Dr. Maria Neira, director of public health and environmental affairs. ; WHO.

According to the report, nothing that in 2016, 600,000 children died of acute lower respiratory tract infections caused by polluted air. Overall, polluted air is responsible for a third of deaths due to stroke, lung cancer and heart disease. Children are the most vulnerable.

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Overall, 93% of children worldwide are exposed to one of the most harmful pollutants – PM2.5. PM2.5 (also called fine materials) are defined as pollutants with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm (1 μm representing 0.001 mm). Given its small size, PM2.5 is particularly dangerous because it can infiltrate deep enough into the lungs of someone and even into the bloodstream.

According to the EPA, numerous scientific studies have linked the exposure to particulate pollution with various problems, including:

• premature death in people with heart or lung disease;
• nonfatal heart attacks;
• irregular heartbeat;
• aggravated asthma;
• decreased lung function;
• increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the respiratory tract, coughing or difficulty in breathing.

Although the vast majority of children breathe air above the pollution threshold recommended by WHO, there is a strong divide depending on the country's income: 98% of children under 5 years old underdeveloped or developing countries breathe an unhealthy air, compared with 52% of children from developed countries.

But it is certainly not a problem limited to certain parts of the world, it is a problem that the whole world must solve together.

WHO calls on all countries in the world to comply with global air quality guidelines to strengthen the health and safety of children. First, we need to better understand and monitor pollution. Low cost sensors and other new technologies can extend air quality monitoring and forecasting to currently underserved areas. New protocols and standards are needed to guide the efficient use and interpretation of data produced by low-cost sensors for citizen science and other applications, says WHO.

But at the end of the day, we need radical changes in society, especially with regard to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Things like removing air pollution from schools and playgrounds can make a temporary difference, but lasting change will not be enough. The organization writes:

"To achieve this goal, governments should adopt measures such as reducing excessive dependence on fossil fuels in the global energy mix, investing in improved energy efficiency and facilitation use of renewable energy sources. Better waste management can reduce the amount of waste burned in communities and thus reduce "community air pollution". The exclusive use of clean technologies and clean fuels for cooking, heating and home lighting can dramatically improve the quality of air at home and in the surrounding community. "

Air pollution affects neurological development, resulting in lower cognitive outcomes, negatively affecting mental and motor development. Even low levels of exposure can cause lung damage, with potentially devastating consequences.

There are two main types of air pollution: ambient air pollution (or mostly outdoor pollution), which usually comes from the burning of fuels in cars, power plants, and other types of air pollution. industry or fire, and domestic air pollution (or indoor pollution), generated by the combustion of a household of fuels such as coal, wood or kerosene, using naked flames or basic stoves in poorly ventilated spaces. Both contribute to health problems and can be treated by taking environmentally friendly measures.

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