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How clean is the air you breathe?
Most of the world’s population lives in areas where air quality is unhealthy. An estimated 92% of people live in areas where fine particulate matter concentrations (small dust or soot in the air) exceed the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guideline of 10 µg/m3.
Air pollution is a complex mixture of particles and gases. Their levels and composition vary from place to place, depending on what sources are present (for example, power plants, heavy industry, and traffic), weather conditions, and how they mix in the atmosphere.
Global map comparing 2015 fine particle concentrations to WHO air quality guidelines and interim target (IT) levels.
Global particle levels
Particulate matter
One of the most widely tracked and studied components of air pollution is fine particulate matter, consisting of airborne particles that are smaller than 2.5 micrograms in aerodynamic diameter (or PM2.5). These particles are 20–30 times smaller than the width of a human hair and can be readily inhaled into the lungs. The level of PM2.5 in ambient (outdoor) air has been the most consistent predictor of early mortality (that is, people dying sooner than they would have otherwise) and increased disability (for example, feeling sick and missing school or work) in long-term studies of air pollution around the world.
Ozone
Another air pollutant widely used by many governments to track air quality is ozone. Ozone is formed by chemical interactions among other pollutants in the atmosphere where we live and breathe. It is a reactive gas that, due to its ability to irritate sensitive tissues in the airways and lungs, has been associated with adverse health effects in children and adults. Its effects on the respiratory system are well established and include worsening of asthma (acute effects) and reductions in lung growth (chronic effects).
Future State of Global Air reports will include additional pollutants (such as NO2), when rigorous scientific evidence for those pollutants becomes available. See What’s Next.
Why report on the State of Global Air?
Given the importance of air pollution to human health, reporting and tracking pollutant levels over time is a first step toward finding solutions. The State of Global Air project also uses the levels of PM2.5 and ozone to estimate how air pollution affects the health of populations in countries and regions around the globe. Its unique interactive feature makes the data accessible to scientists, regulators, and citizens alike and allows them to compare air quality and health across countries and regions and to follow how they change over time.
The State of Global Air project is a joint effort by the Health Effects Institute, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), and the University of British Columbia. It is based on data from IHME's Global Burden of Disease, an extensive scientific analysis of over 300 diseases and causes of death in 195 different countries and territories, and 79 behavioral, dietary, and environmental risk factors that contribute to them.