The latest findings from the 2024 Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report have revealed that the average person loses nearly two years of their life due to exposure to harmful particulate matter which are extremely small solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air.
This type of pollution is significantly reducing life expectancy worldwide, according to the report which indicated that the situation is significantly alarming in regions such as Central and Western Africa, where pollution is severely impacting the longevity of life.
“In Central and Western Africa, air pollution poses as much of a health threat as well-known killers in the region like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and unsafe water. An average resident in these areas will lose 1.7 years of life if pollution persists at current levels,” the 2024 AQLI report, published on August 28 by researchers at the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago (EPIC) highlighted.
Burundi, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and The Republic of the Congo are the most polluted countries in Central and West Africa. These countries are also among the most polluted countries in the world, per the report.
It added, “in the Republic of the Congo’s capital city of Brazzaville, residents are losing 3.2 years; in Rwanda’s Musanze, it is 3.1 years; in Burundi’s capital of Gitega, it is 2.5 years; in Mezam, Cameroon, residents are losing 4.5 years; and in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, it is 2.6 years.”
Ghana is among the many countries fighting air pollution. The Ghana Environmental Protection Agency introduced a Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) in 2018 with the goal of bringing GAMA in compliance with the country’s air quality standards and maintaining compliance as the area grows economically.
The fight for a cleaner atmosphere persists as Madina Zongo Junction, Agbogbloshie, Makola, Tudu, Oxford Street, Lapaz, and Kaneshie Market are reported as the communities in Accra with the highest levels of air pollution per findings by the Ghana Urban Air Quality Project.
Despite global efforts to improve air quality, some regions continue to struggle with rising pollution levels, driven by factors like urbanization, industrial activities, and deforestation. This environmental crisis demands immediate action, as millions of lives remain at risk if pollution is not effectively tackled.
Air pollution as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is the contamination of indoor or outdoor environments by chemical, physical, or biological agents that alter the natural composition of the atmosphere.
People in the most polluted areas breathe air that is six times more contaminated than those in cleaner regions, cutting their life expectancy by an average of 2.7 years.
While many countries have implemented national air quality standards, enforcement and compliance remain major challenges, the report notes.AQLI 2024 report also states that there are 94 countries that have set PM 2.5 standards, but 37 fail to meet their own guidelines. Adding to the alarm, 158 countries have yet to establish any standards
The potential benefits of meeting air quality standards are significant if all countries achieved their goals, the average person in affected regions could gain 1.2 years of life expectancy.