Life expectancy in Pakistan might be reduced by at least seven years due to rising air pollution levels, according to a new analysis from the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC). The study’s findings are reported in the most recent edition of the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), which highlights the critical need for action to improve air quality.
The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) is a comprehensive measure of pollution that reflects the effects of air pollution on human lifespan. Particulate pollution is a major concern in Pakistan, second only to cardiovascular disease as a risk to the public’s health. It decreases life expectancy by an average of 3.9 years.
Condition of air in Pakistan is alarming
According to the study, more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people live in areas where average annual particle pollution levels are higher than the threshold recommended by the WHO. 98.3 percent of Pakistanis, shockingly, reside in places with air pollution levels over the country’s own threshold of 15 micrograms per cubic metre.
According to the findings, the average life expectancy of a resident might increase by 3.9 years if the yearly PM 2.5 concentration was maintained at the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 5 micrograms per cubic metre. On the other hand, malnutrition in children and mothers, as well as abnormalities in newborns, can cut life expectancy in half.
Condition in past
From 1998 to 2021, AQLI data reveals a concerning 49.9 percent increase in average annual particle pollution across Pakistan, which reduces life expectancy by 1.5 years. Sixty-five million people, or 69.5% of Pakistan’s population, live in the three worst-hit provinces: Punjab, Islamabad, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and they stand to lose between 3.7 and 4.6 years off their average life expectancy compared to World Health Organisation standards. Similarly, if pollution stays at its current levels, people could lose 2.7 to 3.6 years of life expectancy relative to national guidelines.
The paper offers some encouragement by implying that if WHO pollution criteria were met, life expectancy would increase dramatically. Residents of Lahore and Islamabad may gain 7.5 and 4.5 years, respectively, while those in Karachi may gain 2.7 years. The research also highlights India’s significant part in the worldwide pollution escalation, with the country accounting for 59% of the worldwide pollution increase since 2013.
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