UNEP now to provide real-time data on age groups most exposed to poor air quality

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) platform now identifies which age groups are exposed to bad air at any given hour in a country.

The platform, developed in collaboration with Swiss technology company IQAir, uses real-time crowd sourced data from public governmental sources, citizens, research and satellite data to deliver estimates of localised air quality of the past 24 hours.

Inger Andersen, executive director at UNEP, said: “The UN General Assembly resolution reaffirms the human right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment, This means our environmental monitoring and information systems must move with ever greater precision.

“This update to the world’s largest air quality data platform will take us closer to identifying which segments of society are particularly vulnerable and can therefore help refine strategies and policies to protect people from the growing threat of air pollution.

“The imperative to act is urgent – technology and international cooperation can help accelerate efforts to reduce air pollution, especially for those most exposed to poor air quality.”

It is estimated that 99 per cent of the world’s population breathes air exceeding the WHO PM2.5 guideline, making air quality monitoring an important tool in combating exposure.

Frank Hammes, CEO of IQAir, said: “Air pollution continues to be one of the most serious threats to human health. Our hope is to make the extent of global air pollution exposure tangible, engaging and inspiring people around the world to take action and to support projects that help clean the air in their communities.”

What can poor air quality do to your health?

Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, as long-term exposure to air pollution can cause chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer, leading to reduced life expectancy.

In 2010, the Environment Audit Committee considered that the cost of health impacts of air pollution was likely to exceed estimated of £8 to 20 billion.