Air Pollution Cuts Global Life Expectancy; Ghana and Africa Hit Hardest, AQLI Reports

Written By : Afua Amamkwanowa

New data from the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) reveals the devastating effects of air pollution on global life expectancy, despite a slight decrease in pollution levels in 2022. According to the report, if fine particulate matter (PM2.5) met the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the average person could gain nearly two additional years of life, amounting to a total of 14.9 billion life-years saved worldwide.

In Ghana, air pollution is a major public health issue, responsible for 28,000 deaths in 2019—surpassing fatalities from malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. The country faces significant pollution challenges, including factory emissions, waste burning, and an aging public transportation system. Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI) remain the leading cause of illness in Ghana, with the Ayawaso West Municipality reporting 25,700 cases in 2023—almost double the figure from 2021.

Michael Greenstone, creator of the AQLI and professor at the University of Chicago, stressed that while air pollution is a global concern, its impact is far more severe in specific regions. He noted that in some areas, air pollution can reduce life expectancy by as much as six years. Greenstone also emphasized that the worst-affected regions often lack the ambition to establish and enforce effective pollution control policies.

Out of 252 countries and territories, only 94 have set national pollution standards, with 37 of them failing to meet their own targets. More than half of the countries lack any pollution standards at all, and most of those without standards do not monitor air quality or provide public data on pollution levels, creating a significant data gap that hampers effective pollution control measures.

In Ghana, the Clean Air Fund, a global initiative, invested over $700,000 in 2023 to address air pollution. Accra has recently joined the Breathe Cities Initiative, aiming to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions by 30%, thereby improving public health. Desmond Appiah, Country Lead of the Clean Air Fund, emphasized the importance of local research in better understanding the link between pollution levels and health outcomes.

The AQLI 2024 Report also highlights that the impact of PM2.5 on life expectancy is comparable to smoking and far more significant than other health risks, such as alcohol consumption, traffic injuries, and HIV/AIDS. In the Middle East and North Africa, pollution levels increased by 13% in 2022, cutting life expectancy by up to four years in some regions. In Central and West Africa, where air pollution is as deadly as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and unsafe water, life expectancy has decreased by up to five years in the most polluted areas.

Despite progress in countries like China, where pollution control measures have added two years to life expectancy, much of the world still grapples with inadequate air quality monitoring and enforcement, placing millions of lives at risk. The fight against air pollution remains a critical global health issue, necessitating urgent and coordinated efforts to improve public health outcomes and save lives.