Air quality, energy and health - World Health Organization (WHO) The pollutants highlighted below do not have quantitative guideline limits, but they are included in the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines due to their potential health impacts Black carbon Black carbon is a major component of PM 2 5 and it is sometimes referred to as soot and its main sources are from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels and biomass It can be emitted both from
Air pollution - World Health Organization (WHO) Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants WHO is working with countries to monitor air pollution and improve air quality
Ambient (outdoor) air pollution Pollutants Particulate matter (PM) PM is a common proxy indicator for air pollution There is strong evidence for the negative health impacts associated with exposure to this pollutant The major components of PM are sulfates, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust and water Carbon monoxide (CO)
Air quality, energy and health Pollutants not only severely impact public health, but also the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally Most policies to reduce air pollution offer a “win-win” strategy for both health and climate Lower levels of air pollution result in better cardiovascular and respiratory health of populations in both the long- and short-term Reducing ambient and household air pollution can also
Air Pollution Data Portal - World Health Organization (WHO) WHO monitors the exposure of air pollution and its health impacts (deaths, DALYs) at the national, regional and global level from ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution Such estimates are used for official reporting like the world health statistics, and the Sustainable Development Goals The Air Pollution Data Portal includes Burden of Disease statistics, air quality databases and
WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines The updated WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) provide recommendations on air quality guideline levels as well as interim targets for six key air pollutants They also offer qualitative statements on good practices for the management of certain types of particulate matter (PM), for example, black carbon elemental carbon, ultrafine particles, and particles originating from sand and dust
Air quality, energy and health Exposure health impacts of air pollution Pollutants not only severely impact health, but also the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally The public health impacts of air pollution exposure range from increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits, to increased risk of premature death and disease
Air Quality Standards - World Health Organization (WHO) This interactive tool provides a snapshot – in the form of a map – of current national air quality standards for classical pollutants (particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide) for various averaging times The WHO Air Quality Guidelines values and interim targets are provided as references The data was compiled by the Swiss Tropical and Public
WHO unveils updated global database of air quality standards This latest update provides an overview of global efforts towards achieving the WHO global air quality guidelines, with 17% more countries now implementing standards for pollutants that pose a risk to human health