Air pollution could kill 4.5 million people annually – study

Billions of people are exposed to polluted air, leading to more than 4.5 million premature deaths each year, according to a new study by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The report highlights that smoke particles from forest fires can travel vast distances, contaminating the environment far beyond their origin.

“Due to the record-breaking season of fires on the Iberian Peninsula, smoke and pollutants were detected in Western Europe and could spread further across the continent,” one of the researchers noted.

The study found that global air quality continues to deteriorate. In 2024, the highest concentrations of PM2.5 particles were recorded in Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, Canada, Central Africa, and Siberia.

At the same time, WMO scientists reported improvements in some regions, particularly in eastern China and Europe, where emission control measures have begun to show results.

“If countries, regions, or cities take action to combat poor air quality, it works,” the scientists said.

For example, air quality in eastern China, including Shanghai, has improved thanks to the construction of new parks, large-scale tree planting, and the rise of electric vehicles despite heavy traffic volumes.

The researchers noted that major pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are declining due to regulations. However, ground-level ozone — the primary component of smog — is not decreasing.

Earlier, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany warned that climate change and air pollution could cause a sharp increase in deaths by the end of the 21st century.