135 million early deaths globally since 1980 linked to air pollution: Study

NTU-led research finds death toll spiked in years with climate events like El Nino

- Shabana Begum and Elise Wong

Between 1980 and 2020, air pollution was linked to 135 million premature deaths globally, with the death toll spiking when unhealthy air coincided with climate events, a study led by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has found.

There was a 14 per cent rise in such deaths – or 7,000 more fatalities each year – in the years when climatic events such as El Nino, the Indian Ocean Dipole and the North Atlantic Oscillation happened.

The main killer is the PM2.5 pollutant – microparticles that come from haze, burning from power plants, and wildfires – that gets lodged deep in the lungs and enters the bloodstream. This can cause breathing difficulties and heart and lung disease, among other issues.

Premature deaths refer to fatalities that occur earlier than expected, based on average life expectancy, due to preventable diseases and environmental factors.

More than 360 major air pollution events occurred worldwide in the 40 years studied. And of the 135 million premature fatalities in that timeframe, Asia had the highest death toll, led by 49 million mortalities in China and 26.1 million in India.

The NTU-led study found that a third of premature deaths during that time were associated with stroke, another third with heart disease, while lung disease and cancer made up the rest.

Higher temperatures, wind pattern changes and reduced precipitation can lead to stagnant air conditions and the accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere, according to the study’s findings, published in the Environmental International journal in April. These result in higher concentrations of PM2.5 particles that are particularly harmful to human health.