You Could Live Longer If Your Country Reduced Pollution To Meet National Or Global Standards

The Air Quality-Life Index (ALQI)

Source: alqi.epic.uchicago.edu

It’s a chart…but a whole lot more! That—along with the fact that air pollution kills more people than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined—landed the Air Quality-Life Index (AQLI)^TM as the top EPIC chart of 2017.

The AQLI translates particulate pollution, the deadliest form of air pollution, into its impact on lifespans. So, users can find their country on the map and see how much longer they could live if their government met either national or World Health Organization air quality standards. It complements the frequently used Air Quality Index (AQI), a metric that describes how polluted the air is, but draws no connection to the impact of that pollution on our health.

With an estimated 4.5 billion people around the world exposed to levels of particulates air pollution that are at least twice what the World Health Organization considers safe, the AQLI is a powerful tool to help people understand the consequences of pollution on their lives. In November, when India’s pollution reached record levels, the AQLI was widely used by the news media to put the pollution in relatable terms—demonstrating how, in just a few months, the AQLI has already become a part of the mainstream dialogue on pollution.

What’s next for the AQLI? Introduced in its beta form, EPIC looks forward to expanding the usability, value and public reach of the tool over the coming year. So, look for a significantly expanded version of the AQLI on a more robust and dynamic website to come in 2018. From there, who knows? Maybe someday the AQLI will replace the AQI altogether.

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You Could Live Longer If Your Country Reduced Pollution To Meet National Or Global Standards

The Air Quality-Life Index (ALQI)

Source: alqi.epic.uchicago.edu

Christa Hasenkopf on Air Quality Data Gaps

Air Pollution’s Threat to Health and the Tools to Combat It Remain Unequally Distributed Worldwide

Ninety of the top 100 most polluted districts in the world are all in India

As Europe Tightens its Pollution Standard, Most Eastern European Countries Won’t be Complying, Cutting Their Lives Shorter than their Western Neighbors

The Tools to Confront Rising Pollution in Central and West Africa are Missing

While Particulate Pollution is the Greatest External Risk to Human Health Globally, Funding to Confront it Remains Largely Unbalanced

Southeast Asian Cities are Pollution Hotspots

China’s air quality policies have swiftly reduced pollution, improved life expectancy

Consistent Wildfire Smoke’s Heavy Toll: California is Home to 20 of the Top 30 Most Polluted Counties

Air Pollution is as Much of a Threat as Communicable Diseases in West Africa

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

Air Pollution’s Threat to Health and the Resources to Combat It Remain Unequal

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

Themes & Topics

Centers & Initiatives

Themes & Topics

Centers & Initiatives

Trending

The Air Quality-Life Index (ALQI)

Source: alqi.epic.uchicago.edu

Christa Hasenkopf on Air Quality Data Gaps

Air Pollution’s Threat to Health and the Tools to Combat It Remain Unequally Distributed Worldwide

Ninety of the top 100 most polluted districts in the world are all in India

As Europe Tightens its Pollution Standard, Most Eastern European Countries Won’t be Complying, Cutting Their Lives Shorter than their Western Neighbors

The Tools to Confront Rising Pollution in Central and West Africa are Missing

While Particulate Pollution is the Greatest External Risk to Human Health Globally, Funding to Confront it Remains Largely Unbalanced

Southeast Asian Cities are Pollution Hotspots

China’s air quality policies have swiftly reduced pollution, improved life expectancy

Consistent Wildfire Smoke’s Heavy Toll: California is Home to 20 of the Top 30 Most Polluted Counties

Air Pollution is as Much of a Threat as Communicable Diseases in West Africa

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

Air Pollution’s Threat to Health and the Resources to Combat It Remain Unequal

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

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Centers & Initiatives

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