Nine out of 10 people worldwide now breathe polluted air – UN

Nobody is safe from air pollution, with nine out of 10 people on the planet now breathing polluted air, the United Nations (UN) warned on World Environment Day (WED).

Celebrated annually on June 5, WED is an initiative that the UN launched in an attempt to raise awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime and how to effectively combat these problems.

The campaign was first held in 1974 with the theme ‘Only One Earth’.

Each year, the UN marks a different focus to commemorate the day while the country hosting the main event for the year chooses the theme for WED.

This year’s edition of the global day has ‘Beat Air Pollution’ as its theme with China as the host.

In a message to mark WED, António Guterres, UN secretary-general, said an estimated nine out of ten people worldwide are exposed to air pollutants that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines.

“This is lowering life expectancy and damaging economies across the planet,” he said.

– The Cable