She said it can sometimes be difficult to get communities and officials to focus on issues like air pollution while in the midst of another crisis, but that she hopes the concerns about the disproportionate impact of both air pollution and COVID-19 on certain groups galvanize some action on the issue. For comparison, the International Panel on Climate Change estimates that global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by transport (14%), energy; including generation of electricity and heat (35%), industry (21%), buildings (6%) and agriculture and land use change (24%).5 The sources of climate change and air pollution, and therefore a large part of the noncommunicable disease burden, are broadly the same: polluting energy systems. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects 2020 to be one of the 10 warmest years on record, if not one of the five warmest years. The SIDRIA‐2 study. SB, SJHV, EF, PC, YSC, and PVT reviewed the literature, wrote the manuscript, and prepared the figures and tables. The most obvious is air pollution. Even though meat and dairy make a relatively small contribution to overall human energy intake, around 60â80% of the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture come from the livestock sector, which also has a range of additional environmental impacts, from deforestation to water contamination and degradation of topsoil, which are increasing with the growing demand from emerging economies.10 Reducing meat intake in high-consuming populations can therefore be expected to significantly reduce environmental impacts.
Ozone in the atmosphere warms the climate, while different components of particulate matter (PM) can have either warming or cooling effects on the climate. Effect of outdoor pollution and climate change over allergenic plant species: Outdoor pollution increases the amount of pollen grains produced by plants (A), and the amount of both allergens (B) and PALMs (C) per pollen grain. Indoor allergens from furry pets, molds, and house dust mites (HDM) also influence the quality of indoor air.
Atmos Environ.
The American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report found that 150 million Americans -- 45.8% of the population -- live in counties with unhealthy levels of ozone or tiny particle pollution -- essentially soot or smog.
Although the relationship between air pollution and adult‐onset asthma has been uncertain for years, recent data suggest that passive smoking and traffic pollutants might be related to asthma development in adults.
Another study from the HESE project investigating the burden of fungi showed that the number of viable molds in indoor air exceeded the maximum standard of 300 cfu/m3 in 33% of participating classrooms.69 Very recently, these findings were confirmed in a study conducted in Southern Italy.70 Importantly, this work observed that the concentration of elements from industrial emission was significantly higher in schools located in urban/industrial areas as compared to rural areas,70 implying that the penetration of outdoor pollutants further deteriorates the quality of indoor air.
Many of the same development patterns that lead to high reliance on fossil fuels, as well as policies and technological choices that are driving climate change (such as polluting transport and energy choices) are also worsening air pollution and other environmental exposures. These exposures have a direct and strong influence on the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases. The higher temperatures and increased frequency of heatwaves amplify the exacerbation rate, morbidity, and mortality of respiratory diseases. Policy changes are the most effective measures to decrease pollution.158, 159 While actions of individual citizens can mitigate air pollution only to a small extent,160 larger lifestyle changes at the population level mainly result from policy interventions. Air quality alerts, pollen calendars, and allergy diaries, among other mobile health tools, can help plan outdoor activities, and control and monitor symptoms.177, 178 Besides mobility, livestock to provide meat for human consumption is among the main causes of CO2 production. Moreover, HDM are the most common triggers of airway allergy, as up to 50% of asthmatics are sensitized to them.56 Recent data suggest that in children with wheezing episodes, sensitization to HDM is associated with greater bronchial inflammation and reduced lung function.57 Importantly, indoor allergens induce more severe phenotypes of airway allergy than outdoor seasonal allergens.58-60 Additionally, dampness is present in 10%‐15% of households, which can lead to mold or cockroach colonization and subsequent allergic sensitization of the residents.61, 62 Beyond allergic mechanisms, molds can promote inflammation of the upper and lower airways through several metabolites like glucans or mycotoxins.63.
The comparison is made for the most stringent EU limit or target values set for the protection of human health. Approximately half of these US$ 5 trillion are from the uncosted health impacts of air pollution, mainly from coal.
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