Air pollution, a gigantic problem worldwide
Air pollution, a gigantic problem worldwide
The impacts of emissions on health are far-reaching. Among other things, smog causes cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, fetal malformation during pregnancy, or cancer. Estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that 4.2 million people die each year as a consequence of air pollution. The situation is alarming in emerging and developing countries. There, almost all cities with populations of 100,000 or more inhabitants exceed the limits defined by the WHO, in some cases dramatically. In industrialized countries, the picture is more favorable. Nonetheless, 56 percent of cities in these countries exceed the limit values. In total, 9 out of 10 people in the world are breathing air that contains an excessive level of pollutants.