- World Health Organization’s(WHO’s) Urban Air Quality database reports around 12% of people in cities are berating safe air and more than half of urban population is exposed to 2.5 times higher than the recommended level by WHO
- Globally around 91 countries outdoor air quality is reflecting growing recognition of air pollution’s leading to health issues including cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Agra and Varanasi also figure in the list of cities with high pollution levels
- In most cities where there is enough data to compare the situation today with previous years, air pollution is getting worse and the factors contribute to this are :
- coal-fired power plants,
- inefficient use of energy in buildings and
- the use of biomass for cooking, etc
- On the other hand some other cities are implementing policy measures to improve the quality of air by banning coal and using renewable fuel and using them productively
- WHO has called for awareness not only for outdoor but also indoor air pollution which is responsible for deaths of some 3.7 million people under the age of 60 in 2012 resulting in largest risks to health globally.
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/only-12-per-cent-of-citydwellers-breathe-safe-air-says-who/article5987719.ece
Exams Perspective:
- WHO
- Air Pollution
- List of Indian cities with high pollution levels
- Renewable Energy
- Biomass
- Green Buildings