Conny Karlsson’s Post

RESEARCH FINDS ONLY 7 COUNTRES MEET GLOBAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION "Of 134 countries and regions surveyed in the report, only seven – Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand – are meeting a World Health Organization (WHO) guideline limit for tiny airborne particles expelled by cars, trucks and industrial processes... But even in wealthy and fast-developing countries, progress in cutting air pollution is under threat. Canada, long considered as having some of the cleanest air in the western world, became the worst for PM2.5 last year due to record wildfires that ravaged the country, sending toxic spoke spewing across the country and into the US... Unfortunately things have gone backwards,” said Glory Dolphin Hammes, North America chief executive of IQAir. “The science is pretty clear about the impacts of air pollution and yet we are so accustomed to having a background level of pollution that’s too high to be healthy. We are not making adjustments fast enough.” #airquality #airqualitymatters #airqualitycontrol #airqualitymonitoring #IQAir #science #climatechange #greenhousegases #WHO #worldhealthorganization #worldhealth #helpingeachother #helpinghands

🌍✨ Making Environmental Progress: A Call to Action! ✨🌍 It's time to take a serious look at our global air quality standards. Recent findings reveal that almost all countries are falling short when it comes to meeting the mark for PM2.5, those tiny particles expelled by vehicles and industry that can have detrimental effects on our health. According to a comprehensive report, out of 134 countries and regions surveyed, only seven are meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline limit for these airborne particles. Among the few leading the charge are FINLAND, Australia, Estonia, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand. This should serve as a wake-up call for governments, industries, and individuals worldwide. Clean air is not a luxury; it's a fundamental right and a necessity for our well-being. We must prioritize sustainable practices, invest in cleaner technologies, and implement stringent regulations to mitigate air pollution and safeguard public health. Together, let's strive for a healthier, cleaner future for all 🌱💪 How often do you consider air quality in your work? #AirQuality #Sustainability #GlobalHealth #CleanAir #EnvironmentalAction #WHOGuidelines #whyhelsinki https://lnkd.in/dY_CDHAC

https://lnkd.in/dZRixVT6 Quotes from the article: Only seven countries are meeting an international air quality standard, with deadly air pollution worsening in places due to a rebound in economic activity and the toxic impact of wildfire smoke, a new report has found. Of 134 countries and regions surveyed in the report, only seven – Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand – are meeting a World Health Organization (WHO) guideline limit for tiny airborne particles expelled by cars, trucks and industrial processes. The vast majority of countries are failing to meet this standard for PM2.5, a type of microscopic speck of soot less than the width of a human hair that when inhaled can cause a myriad of health problems and deaths, risking serious implications for people, according to the report by IQAir, a Swiss air quality organization that draws data from more than 30,000 monitoring stations around the world. While the world’s air is generally much cleaner than it was in much of the past century, there are still places where the pollution levels are particularly dangerous. The most polluted country, Pakistan, has PM2.5 levels more than 14 times higher than the WHO standard, the IQAir report found, with India, Tajikistan and Burkina Faso the next most polluted countries. Air pollution kills an estimated 7 million people a year worldwide – more than Aids and malaria combined – and this burden is most heavily felt in developing countries that rely upon particularly dirty fuels for heating, light and indoor cooking. The most polluted urban area in the world last year was Begusarai in India, the sixth annual IQAir report found, with India home to the four most polluted cities in the world. Much of the developing world, particularly countries in Africa, lacks reliable air quality measurements, however. #airpollution #particulatematter #particulatematteremissions #soot #airquality #lunghealth #humanhealth #lungdisease #airqualitymonitoring #developingcountries #wealthynations #unitednations #worldhealthorganization #WHO #energyindustry #coalfiredpowerstations

Our #WorldHeartReport 2024 was featured in the World Economic Forum this week: "Air pollution has been called the “greatest single environmental health risk” by a new report, which says deaths from cardiovascular conditions caused by air pollution have been rising for a decade and will continue to rise." More than half of the nearly 7 million deaths due to #AirPollution are from cardiovascular conditions. Our report reveals the extent of the health crisis caused by pollution, and urges governments to act now and ensure their populations can breathe #CleanAir. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/egkab5wy

Research has found that only seven countries - Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand- meet the World Health Organization's air quality standards. Shockingly, IQAir: First in Air Quality found that almost all countries fail to meet the mark for PM2.5, tiny particles that can cause health problems and are emitted by vehicles and industry. We must take action to improve air quality for the health and well-being of our communities. #particulatematter #righttohealth #cleanairforall #PRTR #pollutioncontrol Check out the link below by Oliver Milman of the Guardian to learn more about this pressing issue. https://lnkd.in/e9Hx6V48

In this recent study only seven countries, out of 134 regions and countries surveyed, were found to have breathable air within safe World Health Organization limits: Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand. Measuring a type of airborne pollution known as "particulate matter 2.5" (PM2.5), typically caused by motor vehicles and industrial processes and linked to both heart disease and asthma, this study highlights the depth of work that still needs to be done to safeguard humanity from the harmful effects of poor quality air. Purpose-built monitoring systems, accurate environmental data, and increased awareness around the importance of air quality will go a long way towards improving health outcomes for people around the world. More here: https://hubs.la/Q02x1Jv_0 #KnowYourAir #AirMonitoringMadeEasy

I have understood from experts that air pollution is public health problem nr. 1 in the Netherlands ('fijnstof'). As countries mark World Health Day, the World Health Organization has highlighted air pollution as a top danger. But at the Dandora dump site on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, toxic fumes from burning waste does not stop people from scavenging here for anything that might be worth selling. "We face a lot of problems here, for example the smoke nowadays is a lot. Even breathing is a problem and you cannot see who is in front of you because of the smoke. But I have nowhere to go and nothing else," said Jane Muthoni who relies on the mountain of trash to provide a living. Toxic fumes from dump sites are not the only issue. Pollution from heavy traffic in the capital and other major cities is also to blame for respiratory problems in Kenya." "Experts like Dr Videllis Nduba of the Kenya Medical Research Institute’s Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research argue that government needs to be more involved in achieving good healthcare for its citizens. "It is fantastic that the World Health Organization is advocating for universal access to health and has identified air pollution as a major driver of ill health. But this requires a lot of regulation and backing from governments,” he said. Nduba said governments need to invest in health infrastructure and strengthen health systems in order to provide proper access to care, especially for poor populations. He said he believes there needs to be more initiatives in Kenya to move to using cleaner fuels. “I think if the government can invest more energy in reducing pollution, creating standards for ageing vehicles' maintenance, this can really improve the lung health in cities in Kenya and in Africa." RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken African Union United Nations

Swiss-based air quality organization IQAir just published a report drawing on data from more than 30,000 monitoring stations. From the 134 countries surveyed, only 7 met the World Health Organization’s standard of air quality. This is seriously concerning report that the majority of jurisdiction surveyed have a high levels of pollution meaning that their residents are more likely to experience health problems. While this is a concerning development, we now at the least have a baseline benchmark to measure ourselves against as we take strides and improve the quality of the air we breathe. https://lnkd.in/gjEM6yEJ

Air pollution is the greatest global threat to human health, according to the latest report from the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI). According to WHO (World Health Organization), 99% of the world’s population was breathing unhealthy air. Even in some cities and countries, the level of air pollution consistently ranges from bad to hazardous. Read the full article to understand how air pollution is affecting us. #AirPollution #WorldHealthOrganization #HealthandSafety #ShipandShoreEnvironmental

"Sometimes, all I need Is the air that I breathe And to love you All I need Is the air that I breathe Yes to love you All I need Is the air that I breathe" - The Hollies And the lyrics of the song, "The Air That I Breathe", are salient more than ever today. An analysis by Swiss company, IQAir found that in 2023, only 10 countries and 9 per cent of global cities had air quality that met World Health Organisation's guidelines for PM2.5 pollution. These are shocking figures. According to the WHO, PM2.5 is responsible for the early deaths of more than 4 million people worldwide each year. IQAir asserts that PM2.5 kills more people than any other pollutant that is out there.   Due to its minuscule size, PM2.5 can enter different organ systems and the bloodstream, causing damage. Even without mortality, it is linked to increased rates of heart attack, stroke, and oxidative stress. In turn, oxidative stress is associated with a variety of illnesses ranging from Parkinson’s disease to cancer. We need clean healthy air for our health and wellbeing. Therefore, regulators have to set stringent and science-based air control standards that are paired with adequate monitoring and effective enforcement. Due to the transboundary nature of air pollution, such standards and controls also have to be internationally synchronized, with mechanisms for cross-border coordination, assistance and enforcement. Industry has to do its part to by doing right by the environment and the communities it is operating in, via compliance with the standards. And each and every one of us should ask regulators to act with urgency and hold companies to account. Without the air that we breathe, life is not possible and everything else is moot. Through their hauntingly beautiful song, The Hollies are on to something bigger than even love. #airpollution #pollution #environment #publicpolicy