The 2024 State of Global Air (SoGA) Report:

The 2024 State of Global Air (SoGA) Report highlights significant global health impacts due to air pollution, making it the second leading risk factor for death worldwide.

The 2024 State of Global Air (SoGA) Report is released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an independent U.S.-based non-profit research organization, in partnership with UNICEF.

Key findings:

Air Pollution as a Major Health Risk: Air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021, trailing only high blood pressure as a leading cause of death. It is also the second leading risk factor for death among children under five, following malnutrition. Approximately 700,000 deaths in children under five were linked to air pollution, with 70% of these deaths occurring in Africa and Asia due to household air pollution from burning solid fuels for cooking​ (State of Global Air)​​ (Children’s Enviro Health Collab)​.

1. Health Impacts: Long-term exposure to air pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone, and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), has been associated with a variety of health issues such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For the first time, this year’s report includes data on NO₂, primarily emitted from traffic exhaust, affecting densely populated urban areas, especially in high-income countries​ (State of Global Air)​​ (IHME)​.
2. Impact on Children: Air pollution has significant effects on newborns and young children, contributing to premature birth, low birth weight, delayed brain development, asthma, lung diseases, and childhood cancers. In 2021, air pollution was linked to 34% of preterm births globally. Preterm birth complications are a leading cause of death in children under five and can lead to lifelong disabilities and developmental delays​ (Children’s Enviro Health Collab)​.
3. Geographic Disparities: The burden of air pollution is unevenly distributed, with South Asia and Africa experiencing the highest levels of exposure and associated health impacts. For instance, household air pollution is particularly severe in these regions due to the prevalent use of solid fuels for cooking​ (IHME)​.
4. Climate Change and Air Pollution: The report underscores the bidirectional relationship between air pollution and climate change. Many sources of air pollution, such as the burning of fossil fuels, also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating global warming. This interconnection suggests that efforts to reduce air pollution can also have positive effects on mitigating climate change​ (Children’s Enviro Health Collab)​.

These findings highlight the urgent need for global policies and interventions to reduce air pollution and its detrimental health effects, particularly for vulnerable populations such as young children. The report serves as a critical resource for understanding the scope of air pollution’s impact on health and the environment worldwide.