Air pollution caused 160,000 deaths last year

KUALA LUMPUR: Serious pollution caused around 160,000 premature deaths in the world’s five most populous cities last year, even as air quality improved in some places due to coronavirus lockdowns, an environmental group said on Thursday.

The worst-affected was New Delhi, the most polluted capital on Earth, where around 54,000 deaths are estimated to have occurred due to hazardous PM2.5 airborne particles, according to a report from Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

In Tokyo, the figure was 40,000 with the rest spread across Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Mexico City, according to the report, which looked at the impact of microscopic PM2.5 matter produced by burning fossil fuels.

“When governments choose coal, oil and gas over clean energy, it’s our health that pays the price,” said Avinash Chanchal, climate campaigner at Greenpeace India. PM2.5 particles are considered the most harmful for health. They damage the heart and lungs, and increase the chances of severe asthma attacks. Some studies have linked PM2.5 exposure to a higher risk of dying from Covid-19.