Why We Need to Invest in Air Quality

Earlier this summer, the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago released its latest report. This detailed the state of air pollution and its impacts on life expectancy across the world in 2020. The results were sobering.

Despite the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic slowdowns, in which many places recorded brief periods of cleaner air, global levels of particulate pollution (PM2.5) – the most harmful type of pollution for human health – in 2020 remained largely the same as the previous year. According to this latest AQLI data, we are losing more than two years off of the average human life expectancy across the world due to particulate pollution. This loss to the length of human life is more than the loss due to road injuries, HIV/AIDS, malaria and war combined.

Meanwhile, our investment in tackling air pollution lags far behind the scale of the problem. According to a report by the Clean Air Fund, for example, globally philanthropies invest just $40 million annually. This is in sharp contrast to HIV/AIDS which, after successful efforts instituted over decades, now has a smaller impact on global life expectancy, but still 16 times greater financial support than air pollution. In terms of official international development assistance from governments and international organizations, the chasm is even greater; issues such as HIV/AIDs receive 225 times more funding support than outdoor air pollution ($6.5 billion versus $28.9 million)…

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Areas of Focus: Environment, Air Pollution, AQLI, , Air Pollution

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Why We Need to Invest in Air Quality

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U.S. Fishing Policy Increases Fishing Sustainability and Long-Term Revenue

U.S. Fishing Policy Does Not Hold Back Fishers from Making Their Catch

Regulating Biological Resources: Lessons from Marine Fisheries in the United States

Disclosure of Hydraulic Fracturing Activities Leads to Reduced Pollution

International spillover effects of air pollution: Evidence from mortality and health data

How Human and Ecosystem Health are Intertwined

Using Smart Meters to Enforce Water Restrictions Reduces Water Use, But Also Increases Community Complaints

Man vs. Machine: Technological Promise and Political Limits of Automated Regulation Enforcement

Grid Reliability Through Clean Energy

Social Media Engagement Increases Government Action, Decreases Pollution

Does the Squeaky Wheel Get More Grease? The Direct and Indirect Effects of Citizen Participation on Environmental Governance in China

Learnings from emissions trade in India – Anant Sudarshan & Michael Greenstone

This Is Your Brain on Pollution

EPIC’s Air Quality Life Index: Air pollution is costing the world an average 2.2 years of life

Particulate Pollution is the Greatest Threat to Human Health Globally, Yet Funding to Tackle the Problem Lags

The Global Decline in Pollution in Recent Years is Due Entirely to China

With Far Less Pollution Thanks to Strong Policy, Americans are Living Longer

China has Quickly and Sharply Reduced Pollution Since Enacting Strict Policies

Wildfire-Ravaged California is Home to 29 of the Top 30 Most Polluted Counties

Countries Lacking National Air Pollution Standards are Shortening the Lives of Their People

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