Air Pollution Responsible For 1.8 Million Excess Deaths In One Year Alone, Finds Study

Delhi disappears into the smog. India is among the countries worst affected by pollution (Getty)

- Harry Cockburn

A major study into levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities around the world has found significant regional changes in the average level of the dangerous pollutants in the air over the past two decades and revealed the problem caused around 1.8 million excess deaths in 2019 alone.

The study examined PM2.5 concentrations and associated mortality trends in over 13,000 cities between 2000-2019 and found average PM2.5 concentrations were seven times higher than the World Health Organisation's limits.

The authors of the study estimated that 61 in every 100,000 deaths in urban areas was attributable to PM2.5 in 2019.

The study found considerable variations by region, with significant falls in air pollution in parts of Africa (18 per cent), Europe (21 per cent) and North and South America (29 per cent). Meanwhile, urban areas in Southeast Asia, including India, saw the largest regional increases, with a 27 per cent increase in average population-weighted PM2.5 concentration between 2000-2019.

Southeast Asian cities also saw the largest increase in PM2.5attributable mortality rates over this period, increasing by 33 per cent from 63 to 84 in 100,000 people.