"Air Pollution Is Killing Millions Around The Globe Each Year" - Erin Schumaker
Air pollution isn't among the causes of death that medical examiners list on death certificates, but the health conditions linked to air pollution exposure, such as lung cancer and emphysema, are often fatal. Air pollution was responsible for 6.1 million deaths and accounted for nearly 12 percent of the global death toll in 2016. "Air pollution is one of the great killers of our age," wrote Philip Landrigan, MD, MSc, professor of environmental medicine and public health, and dean for global health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in a study published in the medical journal The Lancet. There are numerous studies linking air pollution to morbidity around the world. Air pollution is undoubtedly a global public health problem, but not all countries are equally affected. Because air pollution and related health problems can travel, no country can resolve its air pollution problem alone. This makes it crucial for local, national, and intergovernmental organizations to join forces to address air pollution.
- Philip Landrigan, MD, MSc, Professor, Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Pediatrics, Dean for Global Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai