The latest research announced by the World Meteorological Organization raises serious concerns for humanity. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to the data, billions of people worldwide breathe polluted air every day. This situation causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths annually.
Experts point to forest fires as one of the main sources of air pollution. Smoke particles from the fires spread hundreds and thousands of kilometers away, poisoning not only the local area but entire continents.
As one of the study participants emphasized, during a record-intense fire season on the Iberian Peninsula, smoke reached Western Europe and was observed to potentially cover the entire continent. The report specifically highlights regions where air quality sharply deteriorated in 2024.
Among them, PM 2.5 particle levels were significantly above normal in areas of Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, Canada, Central Africa, and Siberia. At the same time, some regions are experiencing positive changes in air quality.
In particular, waste emissions have significantly decreased in Eastern China and parts of Europe. Scientists believe this is the result of strict measures taken at the state and city levels.
For example, the establishment of new parks and tree planting in Shanghai positively impact air quality. Additionally, despite heavy vehicle traffic, the share of electric vehicles on the roads has increased.
Experts emphasize that pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are decreasing under strict control. However, ground-level ozone, the main component of smog, remains at a high level.
Scientists urge countries to be more vigilant in combating air pollution because this issue is of great importance for human health, nature, and the lives of future generations.
