Air Pollution Statistics and Facts 2024

Updated · Sep 18, 2024


Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Editor’s Choice
- Current Facts on Air Pollution
- Impact on Health Equity and Climate Change
- Air Pollution in European Countries
- Asthma and Air Pollution Statistics
- Household Air Pollution Impacts on Health
- WHO Response
- Car Causing Air Pollution Statistics
- Essential Air Pollution Statistics
- Conclusion
Introduction
Air pollution Statistics: The air pollution problem is by far the most significant environmental health issue around the world and causes an estimated 7.7 million deaths each year. Climate change and air pollution are closely linked since every major pollutant has an impact on climate and many have common causes with greenhouse gases. Enhancing the quality of air can lead to improved health, development, and environmental benefits.
According to UNEP Pollution Action Note, the global condition of pollution in the air, its major sources, the effects of the air pollution on health as well as the national efforts to address this problem. The tiny particles that pollute the air are mostly derived from human activities such as burning fossil fuels for transportation, waste-burning electricity agriculture, and the major source of ammonia and methane as well as the mining and chemical industries. Let’s look into air pollution and its impact.
Editor’s Choice
- The dangerous particles can include anything from soot, and soil dust, to sulfates and are fine particles of 2.5 microns or less in diameter small as PM 2.5.
- Death rates from air pollution globally, are measured as the number of deaths every 100,000 people in the country.
- 99% of the global population was living in places where the WHO air quality guidelines levels were not met.
- Residential area pollution is generally due to cooking and heating using biomass and generating electricity from fossil fuels for our homes, and transport are the main human-made sources of fine particles globally.
- Generally, 95% of the world’s population lives in a country that is party to an international agreement specially targeting air pollution.
- Between 1980 and 2022, the gross domestic product grew by 196%, vehicle miles travelled grew by 108%; energy consumption grew by 29% andÂ
- Almost 66 million tons of pollution are emitted into the air in the United States.
- The biggest number in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific Region, some 89% of those early deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries.
- The combination of the effects of ambient air pollution and household air pollution is associated with 6.7 million early deaths annually.
- Fine molecule pollution is an important issue in deaths from type 2 diabetes, stroke, tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer, chronic obstruction pulmonary diseases, ischemic heart diseases, lower respiratory infections, and neonatal disorders.
- Almost 2 million people in the United States suffer from asthma attacks due to air pollution.
- In 2022, the total emission of the six principal air pollutants dropped by 73%.
- Globally, outdoor air pollution is predicted to have caused 4.2 million early deaths.
- Nearly 48% of the population living in the United States have an unhealthy level of either ozone or molecule pollution that causes asthma attacks.
Current Facts on Air Pollution
- Air pollution is the biggest threat to the environment and human health globally as per WHO.
- As per the World Bank, almost $8.1 trillion money is spent on annual global health.
- According to BMJ, about 8.42 million early deaths every year are attributed to air pollution.
- NCBI states that 85% of all global air pollution comes from burning fossil fuels and biomass.
- Air pollution has caused a reduction in global GDP by 6.1%.
- As per IHME, globally, air pollution is the 4th deadliest health risk.
- As per OECD, 1,2 billion work days are lost worldwide every year.
- According to the Lancet, 8 out of 9 deaths are due to outdoor air pollution and are in lower and middle-income nations.
- Almost 2% of the international public climate finance goes to clean air projects.
- As per the US EPA, each $1 spent on air pollution controls yields a noteworthy $30 in economic benefit.
- As per UNECE, the worldwide crop yield has faced a loss of between 3% to 6%.
- WHO has also stated that almost 570,000 deaths of children under 5 every year are observed.
- According to EPIC, air pollution shortens the average life expectancy by 2.2 years.
- Almost 1% of the international development funding of $2.5 billion every year goes to clean air projects.
- 0.1% of philanthropic funding goes to clean air projects.
- CCAC states that short-lived climate pollutants are responsible for about 45% of current global temperature increases.
Impact on Health Equity and Climate Change
In the market, it’s important to understand how household fuels and technologies affect health, development, and climate change.
- Health Inequities: Women and children suffer more from using polluting fuels and technologies in their homes. This causes breathing problems and other health issues.
- Development Impacts: Using these fuels and technologies also affects education and work. Women and children spend a lot of time collecting fuel, which stops them from studying or doing other activities.
- Climate Change: Using polluting fuels contributes to climate change. It releases harmful substances like black carbon and methane, which affect the environment and people’s health.
Air Pollution in European Countries
- Air pollution has become the biggest environmental health risk in Europe as of 2023.
- In 2021, exposure to minute particles of matter and nitrogen dioxide levels above the WHO suggest will cause approximately 253,000 and 52,000 early deaths.
- Each year in EEA member and collaborating countries, almost 1,200 deaths are experienced under 18 years of age because of air pollution.
- The increasing air pollution can also affect Europe’s economy because of the increasing healthcare cost, lower life expectancy, and lost working days all around the country.
- The biggest challenge for Europe is to reduce ammonia emissions in the period 2020-2029.
- The EEA analysis also shows that European industry’s environmental and health costs have lowered by 33% from 2012 to 2021.
- The National Emission Reduction Commission Directive (NECD) has set a national emission reduction group for the member states and the European for 5 air pollutants of fine particular matter (PM 2.5), Ammonia, Sulphur Dioxide, compounds, non-methane volatile organic compounds.
- Every year in EEA members and the collaborating countries, almost 1200 deaths are seen below the age of 18 years due to air pollution.
- About 80% of the total decrease is observed concerning the EU energy sector for a large area.
- In 2021, almost 13 member states met their national emission reduction commitments and 13 members of them failed.
- The agricultural sector is the major sector responsible for 93% of total ammonia emissions.
- The European Air Quality Index provides information on the present air quality situation based on measurements from more than 2000 air quality monitoring stations nationwide.
Asthma and Air Pollution Statistics
- Globally more than 4 million children develop asthma and almost every third case was tracked due to polluted air.
- 15% to 30% of all the new asthma cases in kids in the United States were caused due to NO2 and OM2.5 and were because of air quality guidelines.
- The prevalence of asthma due to traffic pollution decreases the maximum richness of the countries with access to clean energy sources from 36% to 13%.
- It was predicted that 12.7% of global paediatrician asthma incidents were through NO2 exposure.
- Air pollution leads to changes in the airways of young cities almost like smokers.
- Almost 90% of deaths are related to air pollution in low—and middle-income countries.
- As per a study in Taiwan, the risk of asthma hospitalization increased by 10% for every 10 μg/m3 increase in the concentration of PM2.5.
- In China, each 10 microgram per cubic meter develops PM2.5 levels, and about 2.7% of asthma-related admissions result from this.
- Chronic exposure to traffic-related air pollution results in a 3- 3 fold increase in the risk of asthma in children.
- In Los Angeles, road traffic emissions are predicted to contribute to 27% and 19% of PM2.5 and NO2-related asthma cases, respectively.
- A survey conducted in the United Kingdom found that children residing in high-air-populated areas were 50% more likely to develop asthma.
- About 4.2 million early deaths were experienced worldwide and are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution that results in asthma.
- Air pollution causes 5 million asthma emergency room visits every year worldwide.
- Almost 48% of the population lives in nations with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution, including the United States.
- It is predicted that almost 29,000 deaths per year by exposure to fine particulate matter PM 2.5 pollution in the United Kingdom.
- It is predicted that around 7 million early deaths globally were caused due to air pollution.
- More than 2 million adults in the United States suffer from asthma attacks as a result of air pollution exposure.
Household Air Pollution Impacts on Health
- Annually, 3.2 million people lose their lives early from illness caused due to household air pollutants such as the incomplete combustion of solid fuels and kerosene used for cooking that are caused to household air pollution almost the risk is doubled for children LRI and is responsible for 44% of all pneumonia deaths in children less than 5 years of age.
- Around 21% lose their lives due to lower respiratory infections
- Almost 32% of the people die from ischemic heart disease.
- Approximately 12% of all deaths are caused by stroke, which can be attributed to the daily exposure to household air pollution caused by the use of kerosene at home.
- 19% of the people suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and face early death. In low and middle-income countries more exposure to household air is faced.
- Nearly, 6 % face lung cancer. This is an extreme case of air pollution and this is caused due to exposure to carcinogens from household air pollution by using kerosene or charcoal in generating household energy needs.
- In 2019, household air pollution resulted in the loss of nearly 86 million healthy lives with a larger burden taken by women in the family in low and middle-class countries.
WHO Response
- According to air pollution statistics, developing guidance and resources for clean household energy is essential for global health and climate change.
- WHO leads work with nations and survey agencies that improve national census and surveys.
- WHO works with the countries and conducts surveys and research to harmonize the methods of planning and executing household energy.
- WHO supports the government in estimating the cost and also health benefits of implementing house energy.
Car Causing Air Pollution Statistics
- Almost 95% of the vehicles in Mexico City exceed the standard for PM emissions and contribute to air pollution.
- Car exhaust emissions account for more than 31% of PM 2.5 concentration in almost 100 big Chinese cities.
- Electric vehicles can also emit 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional petrol and diesel cars over their lifetimes.
- In India, vehicles contribute nearly 40%of the overall PM2.5 concentration the whole day in Delhi.
- Vehicles that emit and pollute the atmosphere account for almost 72% of the overall NOx emission in Europe.
- As per air pollution statistics, one idling car emits almost 1-2 pounds of CO2 per hour.
- Roughly 90% of the worldwide urban population breathes air that is polluted and fails to meet the standards of the World Health Organization.
- Road transport in São Paulo, Brazil, emits almost 90% of the total CO2.
- The greenhouse gases that are emitted from transportation sources account for almost 29% of the total population in the US.
- Vehicular pollution contributes to almost 27% of the Particulate Matter and 27% of NO2 emissions in the urban states in India.
- Annually, motor vehicles emit 333 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air.
- Almost 12% of the total EU emission of carbon dioxide is through cars.
- Globally, each year, private cars produce almost 1.9 million tonnes of PM10.
- Air pollution from cars causes almost 30,000 early deaths per year in the US.
- 50% of the UK NOx emission comes from cars and trucks.
- Road travel is the reason for almost 30% of the European Union’s total air pollution.
- Cars and trucks cause almost 60% of all transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions in the US.
Essential Air Pollution Statistics
- Air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa has caused almost 270,000 early deaths every year.
- The coal burning has resulted in almost 44% of PM 2.5-related impacts on health from fuel consumption.
- Each year there are almost more than 4 million people hospitalized and in emergency rooms due to respiratory conditions that are linked to air pollution.
- According to air pollution statistics, volcanic eruptions release almost 110-267 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
- In Europe, traffic accounts for almost 25% of air pollution.
- Nearly 43 million people in the United States are exposed to unhealthy levels of nitrogen dioxide, a major air pollutant.
- Small children in highly populated countries are 3 times more favored to have a decreased lung function as teenagers.
- Every year air pollution may contribute to 2.2 million diabetes cases worldwide.
- India is experiencing the world’s highest yearly average concentrated PM 2.5 levels at 58.1 µg/m³.
- In the European Union air pollution causes almost 400,000 early deaths per year.
- In China, almost 1.6 million people die due to air pollution.
- Minute particulate matter pollution for 29% of all lung cancers because of air pollution.
- As per air pollution statistics, air pollution is 4th biggest cause of death worldwide.
Conclusion
The air pollution statistics show that it is responsible for almost 6.7 early deaths every year. Air pollution has to be brought under control to save mankind from hazardous diseases and early deaths. Children, particularly, must be kept away from air-polluted areas as they are easily affected. It also contributes to 2.2 million diabetes cases each year and causes over 400,000 early deaths only in Europe.
If all countries follow the guidelines given by the World Health Organization globally, air pollution can surely be decreased. The above figures highlight how urgent actions should be taken against air pollution if we want to give a healthy future to the coming generations.
Sources

Joseph D'Souza founded Smartphone Thoughts in 2003 as a personal project to share his insights and experiences with tech gadgets. Over time, it has grown into a well-regarded tech blog, known for its in-depth smartphone reviews and app-related statistics. Joseph is dedicated to providing detailed, well-researched content, including statistics, facts, charts, and graphs, all verified by experts. His goal is to make technological innovations and scientific discoveries easy to understand for everyone. Smartphone Thoughts is now a top source for tech news, appreciated by both tech enthusiasts and beginners.