Air pollution poses a greater health risk to the global population than smoking or alcohol, according to a study by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago.

The study found that funding to combat air pollution is much less than what is allocated to fight infectious diseases. The annual Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report highlighted that fine particulate air pollution, originating from sources such as vehicles, industries, and wildfires, remains the most significant external threat to public health.

Decreasing these pollutants to meet World Health Organization guidelines could increase average life expectancy by 2.3 years. This type of pollution is linked to severe health issues like lung disease, heart disease, strokes, and cancer.

The study compared this health impact to other factors; for instance, tobacco use reduces global life expectancy by 2.2 years, while child and maternal malnutrition decreases it by 1.6 years.

The study also revealed a disconnect between the severity of air pollution in certain regions, and the resources allocated to address the problem. Unlike diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis that receive significant global funding through the Global Fund, no equivalent exists for air pollution.

South Asia (especially countries like Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan) faces the worst air pollution levels globally. These countries have the highest annualized averages of fine particulate matter, measured as particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5).

Millions of people die annually as a result of #airpollution while industries keep expanding with no regard to the environmental and health repercussions they might have.

Here are the world's most air-polluted cities. pic.twitter.com/PrbLUDsPQB

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 9, 2023

The AQLI metric calculates the impact of air pollution on life expectancy based on detected pollution concentrations. Residents in these areas could gain several years of life if pollution levels are brought in line with WHO guidelines.

China has made considerable progress in reducing air pollution since 2014, resulting in potential increases in life expectancy for its citizens. In contrast, regions like North America and Southeast Asia are grappling with air pollution spikes caused by wildfires due to climate change.

Although North America and Europe have made improvements in reducing air pollution over the years, disparities persist between different regions within these continents. For instance, Bosnia is considered the most polluted country in Europe.