The problem is most acute in Asia, but many industrialised countries have been hit by smog this winter. Nearly 70% of people in cities are exposed to pollution above recommended levels.” Now there are huge numbers of people living with high levels of pollution. In the 19th century pollution was bad, but it was concentrated in just a few places. “This is the first generation in human experience exposed to such high levels of pollution. “It’s bad now, but we just don’t know what will happen in future,” says María Neira, WHO public health chief. The toxic haze blanketing cities was observed last week from the international space station.
The consequence is a global crisis that threatens to overwhelm countries’ economies as people succumb to heart and respiratory diseases, blood vessel conditions, strokes, lung cancers and other long-term illnesses. In Delhi, where there are nearly nine million vehicles, the high court has compared conditions to “living in a gas chamber” Beijing and 10 other Chinese cities have issued red alert warnings in Tehran, where the chairman of the city council, Mehdi Chamran, says air pollution kills up to 180 people a day, the smog has been so bad that schools have been closed and sports banned.Īccording to the World Health Organisation, the toxic fumes of growing numbers of diesel cars are combining with ammonia emissions from farming, wood and coal fires, tyre burning, open rubbish dumps, and dust from construction sites and brick kilns. Foul air has blanketed much of urban Asia for many weeks already this winter.
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