“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.
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 ...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ...
More than $1 billion in government funding has been allocated to cities, but just 60% has been spent. Only 16 cities have achieved the targeted pollution cuts. What can be done?
