Global Air Report Indicates 95 Percent of World's Population Breathes Polluted Air

 According to a new report released by the US Health Effects Institute (HEI), more than 95 percent of the planet's population is forced to breathe polluted air - air that contains fine particle levels exceeding global air quality guidelines.
 In the report, it was found that an estimated 6.1 million deaths across the world in 2016 could be attributed to air pollution. Strokes, heart attacks, lung cancer and chronic lung disease were amongst the health issues caused by air pollution.
 Some of the worst hit nations in the report include those in North Africa, West Africa, and the Middle East. These countries are hit the worst due to both windblown mineral dust and solid fuel burning at home. In contrast, countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Findland, Iceland and Sweden ranked the lowest for air pollution.
 "Air pollution takes a huge personal toll worldwide, making it difficult to breathe for those with respiratory disease, sending the young and old to hospital, missing school and work, and contributing to early death," said HEI Vice President Bob O'Keefe."The trends we report show real progress in some parts of the world – but serious challenges remain to eliminate this avoidable affliction."

Read more about this fascinating story at: https://www.sciencealert.com/air-pollution-affects-95-percent-of-planet
Or read the full report here: https://www.stateofglobalair.org/sites/default/files/soga-2018-report.pdf