[Thematic Report for November] Harmful Effects of Air Pollutionby Seojin Lee | 05-12-2021 16:05 |
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Everyone has heard of the term ¡°air pollution.¡± In fact, we are all probably aware that air pollution is a ¡°terrible issue,¡± but many of us do not really know the specific reasons why the issue is so terrible. Therefore, this report will briefly summarize the various dangers of air pollution and its several but severe harmful effects, such as exacerbating climate change, causing health issues, and depleting the ozone layer. First, air pollution is one of the causes of climate change. Climate change is caused by greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere and causing heat to be trapped inside our earth. The link is that many of these greenhouse gases are air pollutants as well. These air pollutants also causing heat to be trapped in our atmosphere include ¡°methane, black carbon, ground-level ozone, and sulfate aerosols¡± (1). In fact, ¡°black carbon and methane in particular are among the top contributors to [climate change] after CO2¡± (1). Next, air pollution also causes several health issues in humans. This is a significant danger of air pollution, as the World Health Organization states that ¡°almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits containing high levels of pollutants¡± (2). In fact, air pollution causes the deaths of around seven million people annually (2). So, what are these health issues that could arise in 99% of the global population and cause the deaths of millions of people? The World Health Organization states many: pneumonia, stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, asthma, and many others (3, 4). These severe health issues cannot be ignored and makes the issue of air pollution much more significant. Finally, air pollution causes the depletion of the ozone layer. Put into simple terms, the ozone layer is a portion of our atmosphere made up of the chemical compound ozone (O3) and protects us from harmful radiation and light (5). However, many air pollutants that are released destroy these ozone molecules, causing the depletion of the ozone layer (6). What does this mean? This means less protection from harmful radiation and light, causing various adverse effects including ¡°[increasing] the risk of skin cancer in humans, [restricting] growth and development in plants, [slowing] the development of fish and amphibians, and [reducing] the number of phytoplankton in marine ecosystems¡± (6). Judging from these effects of air pollution, air pollution is a significant issue that should not be dismissed lightly and awareness of the issue¡¯s effects should be spread in order to foster an environment more dedicated to reducing its detriments. Sources: 1. https://www.iass-potsdam.de/en/output/dossiers/air-pollution-and-climate-change 2. https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1 3. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/household-air-pollution-and-health 4. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health 5. https://www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/basic-ozone-layer-science 6. https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/air-quality/effects-air-pollution |
