Highlighting the close relationship between climate change and air pollution, a new analysis by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) has ranked Lahore among cities whose ozone levels are “extremely poor”.
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levels → highlight → cities
Heatwaves and wildfires combined with human-caused emissions this year to expose one third of the world’s population to extremely high levels of ozone pollution, said the report, released on Wednesday.
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report → combine → Wednesday
When heat and sunlight react with airborne emissions from wildfires, vehicles and industry, they create ground-level ozone pollution.
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they → react → pollution
Yet, when this air pollutant is high above the Earth’s surface in the stratosphere, it has a positive effect, protecting life against harmful ultraviolet radiation.
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it → have → radiation
New EU analysis finds one-third of world population exposed to harmful air pollution
Despite progress in cutting the most harmful air pollutants in recent decades, ozone has proved more difficult to tackle as climate change fuels the conditions that favour its formation.
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that → find → formation
This year’s ozone pollution was driven in part by record-breaking heatwaves and wildfires that seared Europe and North America and sent smoke well beyond their borders.
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that → drive → borders
Indonesia has experienced major wildfires, while the warming El Nino weather pattern, which started in June and is due to peak later this year, could drive more fires in southeast Asia, according to the analysis.
“Air pollution does not stop at borders.
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pollution → experience → borders
It can travel thousands of kilometres, crossing continents and oceans and affecting air quality far from its source,” CAMS director Laurence Rouil said in the Atmosphere Watch report.
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Rouil → travel → report
CAMS uses satellite data and computer models to track air pollution and wildfires.
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CAMS → use → pollution
The report found that 34pc of the global population was exposed to “extremely poor” air quality between January 1 and September 15, meaning concentrations of ozone were well above the World Health Organization’s exposure guidance.
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concentrations → find → guidance
The WHO’s guideline sets 100 micrograms of ozone per cubic metre as the maximum recommended level of exposure, averaged over eight hours.
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guideline → set → hours
Another 17pc of the world breathed “very poor” air, while 5pc was exposed to “good” levels of ozone.
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5pc → breathe → ozone
Asia has the highest rate of exposure to ozone pollution, with 53pc of its population breathing “extremely poor” air.
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53pc → have → air
Another 22 percent was exposed to “very poor” ozone.
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percent → expose → ozone
The continent’s widespread emissions are driven by industrialisation, economic development and transport, as well as wildfires and the burning of agricultural residue.
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emissions → drive → residue
Two thirds of the population in North America and 45 percent in Europe were exposed to “poor” or “very poor” air quality.
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thirds → expose → quality
EU regulation has been effective in reducing emissions from air pollutants, except for ozone, the report said.
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report → reduce → ozone
Ozone pollution is linked to 60,000 premature deaths per year in Europe, Ian Marnane, an official at the European Environment Agency, told a media briefing.
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Marnane → link → briefing
Ozone levels in North America also remained “relatively unchanged” despite ambitious emissions reduction policies, the report said.
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report → remain → policies
Smoke from forest fires, crop burning and cooking are significant contributors to Africa’s air pollution while Saharan dust travels as far as Europe.
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dust → travel → Europe
Eight per cent of Africa’s population endured “extremely poor” air quality this year.
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cent → endure → quality
Ozone levels were very high in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo and extremely elevated in Rio de Janeiro but the air quality was “good” or “fair” for 81pc of South America’s population.
One bright spot was Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand, where 66pc of the population enjoyed “good” ozone levels and 34pc lived under “fair” conditions.
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34pc → include → conditions
The Aporia
