3 percent of all deaths. Addressing the current situation does not have to require significant investments in technology or capital, Sanganyado said. Mohamed Atani, Regional Information Officer at: Mohamed.atani@unep.org +254727531253, UNEP Terms of Use PrivacyReport Project Concern Report Scam Contact Us. More than 80% of that increase will occur in cities, leading to increased traffic and WHO estimates that in 2012, some 72% of outdoor air pollution-related premature deaths were due to ischaemic heart disease and strokes, while 14% of deaths were due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or acute lower respiratory infections, and 14% of deaths were due to lung cancer. Opt not to print. In addition, local sources of pollution are often under the control of local government while regional sources such as large industries and pollution from highways are under provincial and national government. Caradee Wright, Chief Specialist Scientist with the South African Medical Research Council, said, "This report gives evidence of the substantial threat air pollution poses to the health, and even life, of babies and children under the age of 5 years. "WHO Air Quality Guidelines" estimate that reducing annual average particulate matter (PM10) concentrations from levels of 70 g/m3, common in many developing cities, to the WHO guideline level of 20 g/m3, could reduce air pollution-related deaths by around 15%. And in many instances, the concentrations that South Africans breathe at ground-level are driven by other, closer sources. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. At the time of publishing, the government hadnt indicated whether it would appeal this landmark decision. with these terms and conditions. burns, injuries and poisonings from fuel ingestion, constraining other opportunities for health and development, e.g. The report also associates air pollution to far-reaching effects of diminishing intellectual development of Africa's children. A lot needs to be done to mitigate the effects of pollution, especially on vulnerable groups such [as] children, the sick, and the elderly.. ", Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox. One in four or 25% of premature deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults in low- and middle-income countries are due to exposure to household air pollution. Only AIDS causes more deaths. Air pollution was responsible for 1.1 million deaths across Africa in 2019, with more than half of those fatalities associated with household (indoor) pollutants, How water sachets became popular across West Africa, and what this means for plastic pollution. Air pollution causes about 780,000 premature deaths per year in Africa, according to a modeling study by researchers at NASA (JGR Atmospheres 2019, DOI: 10.1029/2018JD029336 ). It also urges African countries to adopt medium and long term measures to acquire clean energy. Wind turbines, like these in Tunisia, may help reduce air pollution in Africa. High prevalence of galactagogue use among breastfeeding mothers in U.S. Green Mediterranean diet reshapes DNA methylation, boosts metabolism, Researchers investigate whether COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccinations are complements or substitutes, North American arrival of A(H5N1) influenza raises concerns of potential pandemic outbreak, Lupus and Beyond: Exploring the Common Comorbidities of this Autoimmune Disease. Web17 October 2021 The Monitor (Kampala) By The East African Air pollution was responsible for 1.1 million deaths across Africa in 2019, a new study shows. We already know that Mpumalanga is among the worst nitrogen dioxide pollution hotspots in the world. Reductions in air pollution-related disease burden (both for household and outdoor) will be used to monitor the progress towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goal on Health (SDG 3). Studies indicate that a proportion of people with asthma experience changes in pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms after periods of exposure to SO2as short as 10 minutes. USAIDs DHS, UNICEFS MICS, World Banks LSMS) to enhance, harmonize and pilot questions for national censuses and surveys. At the second session of the UN Environment Assembly, UNEP released the latest report on air quality. Chronic exposure to particles contributes to the risk of developing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as of lung cancer. We use cookies to enhance your experience. 50 g/m324-hour mean. UNEP Terms of Use PrivacyReport Project Concern Report Scam Contact Us. Furthermore, air pollution is costing African countries billions in gross domestic product and can be correlated to losses in cognitive development among Africas children, the researchers found. How water sachets became popular across West Africa, and what this means for plastic pollution. An association also has been observed between outdoor air pollution and increase in cancer of the urinary tract/bladder. Exceeding the threshold therefore indicates a health risk. UNEP has since launched several programmes, including an initiative to develop a low-cost sensor that can be used across the developing world to track and help identifying pollution hotspots. This is due in part to the fact that improving air quality falls within the mandate of national as well as local government environment departments. To improve air quality, the emissions of pollutants from a variety of sources must be decreased. Inadequate coordination among sectors has been a huge challenge in air quality management. Countries in the African Union have also adopted the "Agenda 2063," a continent-wide program that lays out a strategic framework designed to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development for all residents by the year 2063. Stroke In 2014, during the first United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), member states requested UNEP to support global efforts to improve air quality. Sanganyado was not a part of the new research but said that if African communities did not address air pollution, the results would be catastrophic. Study shows humans may have evolved a spring-like arch to help us walk on two feet. But discarded plastic waste can block drains and cause air pollution when burnt, as well as provide breeding grounds for disease vectors Our study fills an important gap when it comes to understanding the Highveld Air Pollution Priority Area. This vulnerable group needs special attention to mitigate their exposures, for example, through policy and intensive awareness campaigns with practical solutions for mothers and caregivers.". In May 2015, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on air pollution and health, calling for the integration of health concerns into national, regional and local air pollution-related policies. If these interim targets were to be achieved, significant reductions in risks for acute and chronic health effects from air pollution can be expected. Arctic avengers: New microbial strains unleashed in the fight against plastic pollution, Exposure to traffic-related air pollution leads to memory loss and cognitive decline, Acute exposure to air pollution may increase risk of symptomatic arrhythmia, Air pollution linked to higher dementia rates, Unhealthy air and poor diet increase risk of preterm birth, study finds, Depressed? They were represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights. In Europe it is currently one of the air pollutants of most concern. May 26, 2023, 12:14 p.m. Excessive ozone in the air can have a marked effect on human health. We argue that African countries are in a unique position to leapfrog over mistakes made elsewhere and to achieve prosperity without pollution., He added, Air pollution in Africa threatens economic development and future growth, but can be avoided by wise leaders who transition rapidly to wind and solar energy and avoid entrapment by coal, gas, and oil.. There is no Disease Outbreak data at this time. Managing them therefore requires a multi-sectoral approach. In addition to outdoor air pollution, indoor smoke is a serious health risk for some 3 billion people who cook and heat their homes with biomass fuels and coal. Although the causality of the effects of low concentrations of SO. The case concerned air pollution in the Highveld Priority Area. The recommended limit in the 2005 Air Quality Guidelines was reduced from the previous level of 120 g/m3in previous editions of the "WHO Air Quality Guidelines" based on recent conclusive associations between daily mortality and lower ozone concentrations. In the first continent-wide examination of the far-reaching impacts of air pollution in Africa, the international team found that while deaths from household air pollution have declined slightly, deaths caused by outdoor, or ambient, air pollution (AAP)are on the rise, said Boston College Professor of Biology Philip Landrigan, M.D., who led the project with U.N. The highest rates are seen in countries with the lowest social development indices. Already, fossil fuel combustion has driven an increase in outdoor air pollution that in 2019 killed 29.15 people per 100,000 population, an increase from 26.13 deaths per 100,000 in 1990, according to the report. Air pollution was responsible for 1.1 million deaths across Africa in 2019, with household air pollution accounting for 700,000 fatalities, while increased outdoor air Credit: 2023 American Geophysical Union. Ozone at ground level not to be confused with the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is one of the major constituents of photochemical smog. WHOs "Health in the green economy" series is assessing the health co-benefits of climate mitigation and energy efficient measures that reduce air pollution from housing, transport, and other key economic sectors. There are serious risks to health not only from exposure to PM, but also from exposure to ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). To better assess the health risks, as well as differentiated gender impacts from household energy, WHO is leading an effort with countries and surveying agencies (e.g. Air pollution also affects land and water systems, and decreases agricultural yields. The most health-damaging particles are those with a diameter of 10 microns or less, ( PM10), which can penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs. Africa, however, has been blatantly left behind in this quest for cleaner air and better health. But discarded plastic waste can block drains and cause air pollution when burnt, as well as provide breeding grounds for disease vectors When sufficiently sensitive measurement tools are available, concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5or smaller), are also reported. WHO creates detailed health-related assessments of different types of air pollutants, including particulates and black carbon particles, ozone, etc. Developing renewables is likely to reduce air pollution, stimulate sustainable and safe growth, and improve the livelihoods of more than half a billion residents of sub-Saharan Africa who live without any electricity at all, he said. Ozone is a major factor in asthma morbidity and mortality, while nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide also can play a role in asthma, bronchial symptoms, lung inflammation and reduced lung function. on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship Most are poor, and live in low- and middle-income countries. The organization is a partner in several leading global transport and energy programmes in areas such as fuel economy, Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) and infrastructure development. Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. In 2019, air pollution contributed to an estimated 1.1 million deaths in Africa, with 63% linked to exposure to household air pollution (HAP). Mapped: Air Pollution Levels Around the World. The study finds that widespread exposure to ambient air pollution in children across Africa is associated with losses of intelligence totaling 1.96 billion IQ points per year. The team devoted special attention to three rapidly developing Sub-Saharan countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, and Rwanda. Air pollutionis caused by harmful particulates and gases, released in high quantities into the air. The report, entitled Actions on Air Quality, focuses on ten measures to improve air quality, organized around six categories: indoor air pollution, public transport, fuels and vehicles, industry, waste burning and air quality laws and regulations. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window). Another important step that needs to be taken is ensuring robust information on air pollution, especially the amount that is emitted, is available. If oceans were a country, they would be the seventh largest economy in the world. Are you sure you want to print? As a member of the CCACs health task force, WHO is providing technical support for harnessing health benefits from actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, and working to scale up health sector engagement to address such pollutants and improve air quality. 12% of all premature deaths due to stroke can be attributed to the daily exposure to household air pollution arising from cooking with solid fuels and kerosene. This is quite heartbreaking because air pollution affects intelligence in children, he said. Policies and investments supporting cleaner transport, energy-efficient housing, power generation, industry and better municipal waste management would reduce key sources of urban outdoor air pollution. This index shows how clean or polluted the air is and what associated health effects might be a concern given the effects one may experience within a few hours or days of exposure to polluted air. Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and simple stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. As an air pollutant, NO2has several correlated activities. Cities are expanding, economies are growing, and life expectancy has almost doubled. Some highlights from Africa are: The recently published Global Environmental Outlook, GEO-6, confirmed that both outdoor and indoor air quality is deteriorating rapidly in many areas due to various factors such the use of firewood and other biomass as sources of energy, increasing traffic volumes, importation of old second hands vehicles, and increased use of the two-stroke engine motorcycles as alternative means of transport in both urban and rural areas. The 2005 "WHO Air quality guidelines" offer global guidance on thresholds and limits for key air pollutants that pose health risks. At the same time, a scarcity of ground level air quality monitoring stations means countries are not able to accurately track their progress towards meeting air quality objectives and standards. If we act now we can beat plastic pollution, says UN Secretary-General, Air Pollution and Development in Africa: Impacts on Health, the Economy and Human CapitalReport, Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Air pollution in Africa has major negative impacts on health, human capital, and the economy, the co-authors conclude. Ambient (outdoor air pollution) in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 3 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012. But information on the amount emitted and the emission-reduction technologies that industries are using arent available. The new report, The State of Air Quality and Health Impacts in Africa, provides a comprehensive analysis of major air pollution sources and related health impacts in the continent of more than 1.2 billion people. Newborns and children under five years old in these regions are at a particularly high risk from household air pollution linked to use of solid fuels for cooking. Access to clean energy across Africa is not equitably distributed, leading to larger disease burdens in certain areas. In 2019, air pollution contributed to an estimated 1.1 million deaths in Africa, with 63% linked to exposure to household air pollution (HAP). Several European studies have reported that the daily mortality rises by 0.3% and that for heart diseases by 0.4%, per 10 g/m3increase in ozone exposure. The importance of these data are highlighted in the court judgement. The United Nations Environment Programme is taking the lead through research, innovation and implementation of programmes that seek to tackle poor air quality. The fact that the standards were exceeded was a key aspect of the case and the judgement. Health, energy and sustainable development Sources per sector Residential pollution, mostly from cooking and heating using biomass, and generating electricity from fossil fuels for our homes, and transport, are the main human-made sources of fine particles globally. According to the research, economic output lost to air pollution related disease wiped about $3 billion off of Ethiopia's economy, that is 1.16 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product; $349 million was lost from the Rwandan economy (1.19 percent of GDP) and $1.6 billion in Ghana (0.95 percent of GDP). Impacts on health equity, development and climate change, Health, energy and sustainable development, Better transport can save up 55 000 premature deaths in Accra, WHO report, Cleaning up Africas air would pay for itself in economic gains: Pollution is dragging down the continents GDP and harming its children, Quality Urbanisation and Health for All in Intermediary Cities in Africa, 20th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in AFRICA: 20th ICASA 2019, Flattening the curve in Tanzania: WHO and AIRA train public health workers to fight Infodemic, First large-scale campaign in DRC using innovative polio vaccine, Africa steps up access to high-quality laboratory data for polio eradication, World No Tobacco Day: Grow Food Not Tobacco-WHO, Marburg Virus Disease outbreak in Tanzania declared over, How preparedness boosted Tanzanias Marburg outbreak response, Southern Africa faces uptick in COVID-19 cases. Through participation in projects such as the Global Fuel Efficiency Initiative, Share the Road, Partnerships for Clean Fuels and Vehicles, Africa Sustainable Transport Forum, Climate and Clean air Coalition, Global Clean Ports Project and Electric Mobility, UNEP works with partners to decouple increased mobility from increased emissions. The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical. The Supreme Court has sharply limited the federal governments authority to police water pollution into certain wetlands. Reducing outdoor emissions from household coal and biomass energy systems, agricultural waste incineration, forest fires and certain agro-forestry activities (e.g. As with PM, concentrations are often highest largely in the urban areas of low- and middle-income countries. As a member of the CCACs health task force, WHO is providing technical support for harnessing health benefits from actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, and working to scale up health sector engagement to address such pollutants and improve air quality. The lower the levels of air pollution, the better the cardiovascular and respiratory health of the population will be, both long- and short-term. South Africas air is absolutely filthy, and data analysis consistently confirms this[1]. The "WHO Air quality guidelines" provide an assessment of health effects of air pollution and thresholds for health-harmful pollution levels. Air pollutantsinclude black carbon and greenhouse gases, one of which is carbon dioxide (CO2), a common component of vehicle exhaust emissions. Air pollution research has expanded from Europe and North America to Asia and South America. Air Pollution: Africas Invisible, Silent Killer. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. As a result, the scarcity of data and information on air quality in Africa is a real concern, pointing to a gap that needs to be urgently sealed to enable the continent to better understand its air quality status, and the causes and consequences in terms of the related health risks. Within these three countries, the upward trend in outdoor air pollution is most clearly evident in Ghana, the most economically advanced of the countries, and is beginning to be seen in Ethiopia and Rwanda, Landrigan said. This is further complemented by the ongoing development of the Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit (CHEST) to support the implementation of WHO Guidelines for indoor air quality: household fuel combustion. In addition to guideline values, the Air Quality Guidelines provide interim targets for concentrations of PM10and PM2.5aimed at promoting a gradual shift from high to lower concentrations. While use of electrical stoves has helped to reduce indoor air pollution, the gains are now being reversed due to the current electricity shortage in most sub-Saharan African countries, Sanganyado said. The decarbonisation of South Africas energy system would therefore have large and rapid benefits to air quality. WHO Member States recently adopted a resolution and a road map for an enhanced global response to the adverse health effects of air pollution. Environment Programme Chief Environmental Economist Pushpam Kumar. This allows policymakers to project the population health improvements that could be expected if particulate air pollution is reduced. The effort will also survey to better capture information on all the fuels and technologies used in the home for cooking, heating and lighting, as well as other impacts like time lost to fuel collection. The area includes one of South Africas largest cities, Ekurhuleni, and a large portion of the Mpumalanga province. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Household air pollution has fallen over the past 10 years, the study found, although ambient (outdoor) air pollution has increased. Places like Hwange [Zimbabwe], where there is a 920-megawatt thermal power generation station, choke [the air] with sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and coal ash. A lot needs to be done to mitigate the effects of pollution, especially on vulnerable groups such [as] children, the sick, and the elderly, Maguwu said. Poor ambient air quality occurs when pollutants reach high enough concentrations to affect human health and/or the environment. The case concerned air pollution in the Highveld Priority Area. WebThe main contributors to particle emissions are old vehicles, burning of waste and use of biomass for cooking. Recycling plastic can make it more toxic and should not be considered a solution to the pollution crisis, Greenpeace has warned before the latest round of Edmond Sanganyado, an associate professor of environmental science at Shantou University in China, agreed. Approximately 86% of South Africas primary energy supply is from fossil fuels. CO2 is a good indicator of how much fossil fuel is burned and how many pollutantsare emitted as a result. It shows that the majority of countries are yet to adopt these air quality policy actions. Lung cancer The area includes one of South Africas largest cities, Ekurhuleni, and a large portion of the Are you sure you want to print? However, this challenge also presents opportunities for innovation: photovoltaic and solar power systems are ideal solutions for areas without grid connection in rural Africa. Air pollution is caused by indoor and outdoor activities though the latter, which is largely a result of burning fossil fuels to produce electricity and to power vehicles, is responsible for most of the worlds air pollution. Many countries inform about daily air quality by using the Air Quality Index (AQI). Often, the highest levels of pollution are in vulnerable communities. But they arent the only sources of pollution in the area. Life expectancy is increasing and deaths from communicable diseases are declining. Mortality from ischaemic heart disease and stroke are also affected by risk factors such as high blood pressure, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and smoking. In this interview, we spoke to two researchers from the Karolinska Institutet about their latest work that investigated how PCOS can affect the health of future generations of men. Transboundary pollution is part of the reason that pollution has remained a global challenge. Air pollution was responsible for 1.1 million deaths across Africa in 2019, with household air pollutiondriven largely by indoor cookstovesaccounting for 700,000 fatalities, while increased outdoor air pollution claimed 400,000 lives, according to a report in a recent edition of the journal The Lancet Planetary Health from a team led by Boston Colleges Global Observatory on Pollution and Health. More than three billion people still use solid fuels and inefficient cook stoves, but the Seychelles was able to improve indoor air quality by transitioning the whole country from solid fuels and inefficient cook stoves to liquefied petroleum gas; Only a quarter of countries have advanced fuels and vehicles standards, which can significantly reduce small particulate matter pollution, especially in cities. The report calls upon African countries to invest in quick solutions such as better ventilated housing and clean cook stoves. Can machine learning predict BMI in early childhood using data from the first 1000 days of life? Among men (who already have a heightened risk of COPD due to their higher rates of smoking), exposure to household air pollution nearly doubles that risk. Read more: AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 100 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public.

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