Air pollution is the ‘new tobacco’, causes 7 million deaths yearly – WHO

The World Health Organisation has tagged air pollution is the ‘new tobacco’, as it is said to cause over seven million deaths globally every year.

The organisation stated this on its website on Saturday. WHO revealed it would hold a conference on Air Pollution and Health in response to a World Health Assembly mandate to combat air pollution, one of the world’s most significant causes of premature deaths.

According to WHO, one-third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer and heart disease is due to air pollution.

Air pollution also causes one in nine deaths worldwide.

Affordable strategies exist to reduce key pollution emissions from the transport, energy, agriculture, waste and housing sectors.

Health-conscious strategies can reduce climate change and support Sustainable Development Goals for health, energy and cities.

Let’s act together because the cost is far too high; air pollution claims seven million lives every year, it is a major driver of the Non-communicable Disease epidemic and it accelerates climate change.

The solution to air pollution, however, is affordable. Clean urban, transport, waste and household energy strategies and the health, environment and development sectors can lead the way to change.