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Editorial: Fighting for the right to clean air

“The dose makes the poison” is a basic principle in toxicology. Even drinking water can be lethal if consumed in excessive amounts. For air pollution, the levels considered harmful are often relatively small, measured in micrograms per cubic meter of air. However, exposure is constant as we continuously breathe, and these small ammounts accumulate, leading to diseases and ultimately deaths.

A related concept in public health protection is the “population attributable fraction”, which essentially measures how many people are exposed to a particular risk. A substance can be extremely toxic, but if only a few individals in a country are exposed, it is not considered a significant public health problem. In contrast air pollution affects a large number of people, especially those living in urban areas where pollution levels are elevated. Escaping ambient air pollution is nearly impossible in urban areas, as everyone needs to breathe. Consequently, with large urban populations globally, the population attributed fraction for air pollution becomes substansial.
Air pollution has now become the leading cause of disease globally, according to the recent Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report and stand for 8% of all causes of diseases. At AirClim, we are tirelessly working to ensure that the air we breathe is as clean as possible. We collaborate with scientists, doctors, patient organizations, mothers, and environmental groups in this endeavor. Opposing clean air are those who argue that the right to pollute outweighs the right to breathe clean air. This ongoing battle pits the freedom to pollute versus fundamental right to inhale without filling your lungs with toxins.

Air quality standards have been improved in recent months to better align with scientific recommendations, in the EU, Taiwan, and the USA. The EU’s annual limit values (yet to be formally accepted) for PM2.5 will be reduced from 25 to 10 µg/m3. In the USA, the corresponding annual limit value will be reduced from 12 µg/m3 to 9 µg/m3 and in Taiwan from 15 µg/m3 to 12 µg/m3. While these changes are all improvements, they still fall short of the World Health Organization guideline value of 5 µg/m3 for PM2.5.

The quest for cleaner air has also reached the African continent. Countries that lacked air quality monitors just a few years ago are now introducing air quality legislation. For instance, Uganda is now setting a ban on the burning of waste and the most polluting cars. Ethiopia is leading the way globally by becoming the first country in the world to ban the import of fossil fuel cars.

Many African cities have suffered from high- and middle-income countries exporting old polluting cars instead of having a holistic approach with scrapping schemes for outdated, dirty techniques. It is encouraging to see Ethiopia not only banning these imports but also taking a bold step further by prohibiting the import of all fossil fuel cars. The rationale is clear: it is economically wasteful to import fossil fuels when locally produced electricity can be used.

As Arundhati Roy eloquently said, “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
There is still a long way to go before we all can breathe without worrying about breathing toxins, but we remain hopeful that new air quality standards will spread globally. Today we celebrate the prospect of cleaner air on the horizon.

Illustration: © Henri Gylander

A major step toward cleaner air in the EU

By tightening limits on harmful pollutants like PM2.5 and NO2 the revised Air Qulaity Directive will significantly improve public health and align closer with WHO guidelines.

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How many arguments will it take?

There are many reasons to reduce car use in cities, and yet traffic reduction policies seem to remain controversial and unpopular. Systems thinking and understanding how to communicate the multiple and complex set of impacts will help push forward urban transformations that reduce car dependency.

Photo: © Andrei Metelev/ Shutterstock.com
Photo: © Joko P/ Shutterstock.com

Global resilience by empowering communties: the “Early Warnings for All” intiative at COP28

The urgency of addressing climate change and its impacts has never been more apparent, and the “Early Warnings for All” initiative stands at the forefront of global efforts to enhance resilience against meteorological risks. At COP28, the initiative received significant attention.

Photo: ©Roman Samborskyi/ Shutterstock.com

Opportunity to address gaps in the NEC directive

The EU NEC Directive sets national targets to reduce emissions of five key pollutants. Article 13 of the directive mandates a review before the end of 2025. 

European Parliament approves watered-down Euro 7 rules

The European Parliament approved a deal on the revised Euro 7 emissions rules for cars, trucks, and buses in March. However, the decision remains controversial, with stakeholders divided on whether it goes too far or not far enough in combating emissions.

Euro 7 sets minimum performance requirements for battery durability in electric and hybrid vehicles. However, these are only marginally more demanding than current voluntary commitments from car manufacturers. Photo: © Scharfsinn/ Shutterstock.com
Photo: © GreenOak/ Shutterstock.com

Hit or miss: Ammonia as a climate-friendly fuel

In the quest for a clean shipping fuel, ammonia is emerging as an unexpected hero. Made from air and water using renewable electricity, it promises near-zero emissions. According to the IMO and IEA, ammonia's future potential is significant—but there are some caveats.

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A walk in the woods: summarising the state of Swedish forests

Almost 70 percent of Sweden's land area is covered by forests. In this article, the writer explores the significance of these forests for people, communities, and biodiversity as well as highlighting how they are utilised and managed today.

Bulgarian forests – biodiversity under threat

Forests cover more than a third of Bulgaria’s territory. However, they face numerous challenges, such as poor management, illegal logging and the effects of climate change.

Photo: © SSokolov/ Shutterstock.com
On a 20 by 20 meter square, all carbon dioxide coming from the forest must be measured. Photo: © Erik Abel

Carbon measurements in old-growth forests

The environmental movement often hails old-growth forests as saviours of the climate, whereas the forestry industry argues that it is young, growing forests that soak up carbon dioxide. We followed along as the exhalations of an old forest were measured – using steel cages and gas masks.

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Denmark introduces tax on farm emissions

The Danish government is proposing a climate tax on livestock emissions. Farmers will pay 16 euros per ton of CO2e in 2030, with the rate increasing to 40 euros by 2035.

Boosting climate policy with aquatic research

Ocean acidification and environmental change in lakes were the most frequently cited topics by the IPCC and IPBES, according to a recent impact assessment of AQUACOSM-plus, an EU-funded project focused on experimental research in aquatic environments.

Mesocosms are enclosed environments that allow a small part of a natural environment to be observed under controlled conditions. Photo: © Visual Generation/ Shutterstock.com
Photo: © reisezielinfo / Shutterstock.com

EU needs to align power grids with climate goals

Scenario calls for a 131% increase in European power grid transmission capacity by 2035 to accomodate full phase-out of coal and fossil gas.

Solar panels and wind turbines on Madeira, Portugal. Photo: © Leonid Sorokin / Shutterstock.com

Plan to fast-track renewable energy deployment in the EU

To boost renewable energy adoption, the European Commission has introduced new guidelines for Renewables Acceleration Areas (RAAs). However, a recent report shows many countries are unprepared for RAA designation and sensitivity mapping.

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Uganda introduces air quality standards

In May 2024, the new (Uganda) National Environment Air Quality Standards Reglations of 2024 have set heavy fines and jail terms for those found guilty of air pollution such as the burning of waste.Furthermore, the dirtiest vehicles ...

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Taiwan improves standard for fine particles

Taiwan is tightening its standards for PM2.5. The Ministry of Environment in Taiwan will adjust its PM2.5 target from 15 to 12 micrograms per cubic metre. The change is based on the findings of an eight-year study ...

Photo: ©Matyas Rehak/ Shutterstock.com

Ethiopia lead with ban on fossil cars

Ethiopia became the first country worldwide to ban the import of non electric vehicles (internal combustion engine cars) completely. The ban was confirmed on 29 January 2024 and the reasons are that it is becoming ...

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USA up for cleaner air

In February 2024 the US Environmental Protection Agency finalised the new National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5, reducing the limit from 12.0 µg/m3 to 9.0 µg/m3.

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Low-emission zones reduce child asthma

A recent German study found that children who spent their time in the womb and their first year of life in low emission zones experienced a 13% reduction in asthma medication prescriptions by their fifth birthday.

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Air pollution biggest global killer

In the recent Global Burden of Disease, particulate matter air pollution was the leading contributor to the global disease burden in 2021, contributing 8% of total DALYs, followed by high systolic blood pressure and smoking.

Illustration: © Drawlab19/ Shutterstock.com

Urging World Bank to invest in cleaner air.

On 11 April 2024, the Our Common Air Commission launched a call for global financial institutions to invest in clean air programmes. Our Common Air is a global commission of high-level government figures, renowned health experts ...

Photo: © Antony Velikagathu/ Shutterstock.com

Scrubbers are harmful – and expensive

Ships are required by international regulations to limit their emissions of air pollutants. Instead of using less-polluting fuels ...

Climate jaw-stice now! Photo: © Chase D'animulls / Shutterstock.com

Climate justice for the oceans in “landmark” legal statement

Recently, The Guardian and many other media reported that the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Itlos) has stated that states have a legal responsibility to control greenhouse gases which are to be viewed as pollutants.

Middle Miocene called and wants its CO2 level back. Photo: © Al.geba / Shutterstock.com

66 million years of CO2 data reveals future climate risks

A new study suggests that a doubling of CO2 could warm the planet by up to 8ºC. It also indicates that the last time CO2 levels matched today's levels was 14 million years ago. 

Photo: © Narmeen Arshad / Shutterstock.com

UN Chief: “1.5°C limit still possible, but not for long ”

The IPCC fifth assessment report that was finalised last year clearly stated that there is still a window to limit temperature rise to the 1.5°C target agreed in Paris in 2015.

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Trillions of dollars in damages each year due to climate change

Even if CO2 emissions were to be drastically cut down starting today, the world economy is already committed to an income reduction of 19% by 2050 due to climate change, a new study published in “Nature” finds.