- Every year, 500,000 babies die from air pollution, and 93% of children breathe in toxic air.
- Rosamund Kissi-Debrah’s child died of air pollution, and she urged the government to take more measures.
- “People talk about our efforts to reach net zero by 2050. What I am asking for is now,” she told Insider.
- For more stories, please visit Business Insider.
Every year, 500,000 babies under the age of 1 die due to air pollution The 2020 Global Air Condition Report.
every day, World Health Organization warning The air that 93% of children under 15 in the world breathe puts their health and development at serious risk.
The uterus cannot provide a comprehensive barrier to pollution, fine particles called PM2.5 are found in the placenta, and toxic air has increased Low birth weight and risk of stillbirth.
From before birth, the air polluted by NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) and PM2.5-mainly from vehicle traffic and industry-harms health and continues to do so throughout a person’s life.
Rosamund Kissi-Debrah lives next to London’s South Loop, which is one of the busiest roads in the British capital.Ella first People in the UKAir pollution was listed as the cause of death on their death certificates.
Rosamund described Ella as a sporty and happy little girl who, despite suffering from severe asthma, still leads a fulfilling life.
But at the age of six, her condition deteriorated rapidly, and her mother was unable to walk due to respiratory failure and had to carry her around.
On February 15, 2013, 9-year-old Ella passed away after a severe asthma attack and cardiac arrest.
Investigation into her death It was discovered that air pollution was an important reason for her asthma induction and exacerbation.
Kissi-Debrah has been a respected air pollution activist since the death of her daughter. She brought her campaign to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, and asked the government to take action.
She said attendees at the climate summit were listening to her daughter’s story, but she said she was “cynic” about the pace of change.
“People talk about our efforts to reach net zero by 2050. What I am asking for is now,” she told Insider.
time up! After 139,000 people died from the respiratory virus, there are no more excuses, otherwise it will not be the last. The big room is like dirty air. https://t.co/48h70QulZr
— Ella Roberta Family Foundation (@rosamund_ElsFdn) November 4, 2021
“Honestly, when politicians are now talking about achieving net zero emissions in 2050, they won’t take office in 2050, will they? They can say what they want.
“The fact remains that people are dying now. Children are dying of asthma,” she said.
How do we clean our air?
The World Health Organization predicts 90% of people around the world breathe toxic airGathered with world leaders at COP26 and pledged to reduce this statistic.
September 2021, WHO releases new guidelines And aims to allow the government to reach the level of air pollutants.
But many countries participating in COP26 have greatly exceeded these limits.
For example, fine particles should eventually reach 5μg/m3.For reference, the interest rate is 13.3 µg/m-3 for London.
-Sophia Smith Galer in #COP26 (@sophiasgaler) November 5, 2021
These newly imposed restrictions are not legally binding; instead, the government must sign the pledge.
Kissi-Debrah said: “People are dying now, which is why I think every government needs to adopt the new WHO guidelines because they reduce the number of deaths related to air quality by 80%.”
Even our home is not immune to air pollution
2020 research paper published by the Royal Society A series of interventions to reduce air pollution rates are outlined, including changes in government policies, changes in business practices, and personal behavior.
It suggests that structural government changes are needed, including getting rid of oil and coal-powered energy sources, building cleaner and more convenient public transportation, and taxing aviation.
The Royal Society emphasized that people can also take a series of measures to reduce the impact on air quality, many of which are at the consumer level.
For example, reducing consumption of red meat, shopping locally, and using public or active transportation instead of driving can all help.
-Ella Roberta Family Foundation (@rosamund_ElsFdn) October 27, 2021
According to the World Health Organization, many people are threatened by poor air quality in their homes.It pointed out 3.8 million people die every year from diseases caused by household air pollution, Mainly due to the fuel used in cooking.
Clean Air Center of the Global Action Plan Listed a series of mitigation measures, including limiting the burning of items in the home, reducing smoke in the kitchen, repairing the boiler and thorough ventilation.
There is evidence that air quality problems cannot be contained by walls or borders and become everyone’s problem. in England, Only 55% of PM.25 comes from the UK, And other causes of pollution from abroad. International measures are needed to address climate change and improve air quality, Young COP26 attendees told world leaders When they gathered in Glasgow on Saturday.
