One of the leading causes of childhood deaths is air pollution. Over 600,000 children under the age of five die each year of a disease from or complications relating to air pollution—that’s more deaths than those from HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. And now, in a
report recently released as a preemptive measure for the
UN Climate Change Conference held in Marrakech, Morocco this past November, UNICEF is asking world leaders to clear the air for future generations.
In the report, UNICEF outlines four steps that they are asking world leaders who attended the conference to consider taking:
- Reduce air pollution
- Minimize exposure
- Improve childhood health
- Monitor air pollution
Those that are most at risk for being exposed to polluted air include children who live in low- and middle-income countries. That amounts to around 2 billion children who are exposed to outdoor air pollution. This is often the product of vehicle exhaust, the use of fossil fuels, heavy dust and trash burning.
However, this number fails to take into account the large quantity of children that live in homes where indoor air pollution is a problem. Using solid fuels for heating and cooking, such as coal and wood, can create significant health issues for developing lungs—this adds another billion children who are affected by air pollution each year.
Air pollution coming from inside these children’s’ homes is directly related to national income. For Thailand, a nation with a per capita income of around US $6,000, solid fuels account for 23 percent of their energy use in the household. Whereas in the United Republic of Tanzania, with a per capita income of US $900, they use solid fuels for 95 percent of their energy source.
It’s not only children who are at risk for health issues from air pollution, but also unborn children. When exposed to a high level of particulate matter unborn children may be premature or never make it to birth at all.
Not only will the health and quality of life of these children be increased once air pollution is reduced, but society itself will also benefit. A decrease in medical costs and increase in the productivity and health of future adults will create a better world for everyone.
