By Salifu Faridat
Experts are sounding an alarm about the grave risks the climate crisis poses to individuals with respiratory illnesses. They highlight recently that rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are exacerbating lung health issues, making them a paramount concern.
Respiratory specialists are urgently calling on the European Union (EU) to revise its air pollution regulations to align with the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In an editorial published in the European Respiratory Journal, these experts emphasize the crucial need to alleviate the suffering of patients grappling with deteriorating air quality.
The experts stress that the climate emergency and human health are now inextricably linked and warn that this connection is “irreversible.”
The report cites a range of factors, including increased pollen levels, heightened allergens, wildfires, dust storms, and traffic fueled by fossil fuels, as contributing to the worsening of existing respiratory conditions and the emergence of new ones. The report has undergone peer review.
Global air pollution is a silent killer, responsible for an estimated 6.7 million deaths worldwide in 2019, with Europe accounting for 373,000 of those fatalities.
Significantly, greenhouse gases and air pollution share many common sources, emphasizing the need to address both issues concurrently.
Professor Zorana Jovanovic Andersen, an expert in environmental epidemiology at the University of Copenhagen and a co-author of the report, highlights the vulnerability of individuals with respiratory conditions to the adverse effects of climate change.
Those already grappling with breathing difficulties are particularly susceptible to the shifting climate, which is predicted to worsen their symptoms, potentially leading to fatal outcomes.
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Children are at the forefront of climate change’s impact, given their developing lungs, faster breathing rate, and increased outdoor activity.
They inhale two to three times more air than adults while spending more time outdoors, making them more susceptible to the effects of air pollution and climate-related changes.
Early-life exposure to air pollution can also heighten the risk of developing chronic lung diseases later in life, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis, particularly for those who smoke.
The report underscores that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and halting further global warming would yield substantial and immediate health benefits by improving air quality.
Professor Jovanovic Andersen emphasizes the urgency of action from policymakers to mitigate climate change’s impacts on both the planet and human health.
Healthcare professionals, including respiratory doctors and nurses, are urged to be aware of these emerging health risks and take action to alleviate patient suffering.
Recent reports from the WHO have emphasized that reducing emissions would lead to better air quality, making the regulation of air pollution a cornerstone of any comprehensive climate strategy, according to the authors.
On behalf of the European Respiratory Society, representing over 30,000 lung specialists from 160 countries, the authors are calling on the EU to align its air quality standards with WHO recommendations.
Currently, the EU’s limits stand at 25 micrograms per cubic meter for fine particles (PM2.5) and 40 micrograms per cubic meter for nitrogen dioxide, in contrast to the WHO’s stricter guidelines of five micrograms and 10 micrograms, respectively.
In the UK, the government has set a target of 10 micrograms per cubic meter for PM2.5 by 2040, citing challenges posed by emissions from across the English Channel and shipping routes.
The report concludes by underlining the necessity of preparing communities to face the growing impact of climate-related respiratory diseases in light of recent extreme weather events. Addressing these issues is increasingly urgent as the climate crisis continues to take a toll on public health.
