Air Pollution has been wreaking havoc in several countries including China as well as India. Not only is it affecting daily lives of adults but children have also not been spared from this horrendous phenomenon.
As per a report by the UNICEF, one in seven children on Planet Earth are breathing toxic air. At least 300 million children in several countries across the globe are exposed to toxic and polluted air. In these areas, pollution levels exceeded at least a six times than the international guidelines.
Not only this, at least two billion children are living in countries where minimum air quality guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO) have been breached. Every year at least, 600,000 children under the age of five lose their lives majorly because of air pollution.
According to the executive director of UNICEF, Anthony Lake, not only are children’s lings at danger due to air pollution, but brain damage is also a concern. Right from using fossil fuels to vehicle emissions, outdoor air pollution is caused due to a number of factors.
As per the report, along with outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution is also a major concern. Bad fuels used to heat homes and cook food also adds to the pollution woes. As per the WHO, while outdoor pollution causes 1.3 million deaths annually in urban areas, at least two million die across the globe due to indoor air pollution.
Image Credit: greenpeace.org
