Air Pollution a Continuing Health Threat in World's Cities

Public health news from around the world

Air pollution is threatening health in many cities worldwide, according to World Health Organization
data.

The agency estimates that more than 2 million people die yearly from breathing in particles present in
indoor and outdoor pollution. Such particles, which are 10 micrometers or smaller, can penetrate the
lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing heart disease, lung cancer, asthma and acute lower
respiratory infections.

"Across the world, city air is often thick with exhaust fumes, factory smoke or soot from coal burning
power plants," said WHO Director for Public Health and Environment Maria Neira, MD, MPH. "In many
countries, there are no air quality regulations and, where they do exist, national standards and their
enforcement vary markedly."

According to a WHO analysis of air quality measurements taken from 2003-2010 and released in
September, the largest contributors to urban outdoor air pollution in both developed and developing
countries are motorized transportation, small-scale manufacturers and other industries, burning of
biomass and coal for cooking and heating and coal-fired power plants. Also, particularly in rural areas
during colder months, residential wood and coal burning for space heating is a key contributor to air
pollution.

"Local actions, national policies and international agreements are all needed to curb pollution and
reduce its widespread health effects," said Michal Krzyzanowski, head of the WHO European Center for
Environment and Health in Bonn, Germany.

The analysis of data from nearly 1,100 cities across 91 countries found only a few of those cities meet
the WHO air quality guideline for exposure to the most dangerous type of pollution particles.
Biodiversity and Tourism in Bangladesh:
A Valuable Relationship
In 2008, international visitor arrivals reached 880 million with associated expenditure of US$946
billion. In terms of the value to tourism from biodiversity, there have been a number of studies
that have attempted to demonstrate the value of the natural environment in areas where
successful iconic wildlife tours operate. In Iceland the whale watching industry is growing
rapidly with an estimated annual value of $US4.5m - $US6m which is considered to be worth
more than commercial whaling was at its peak, in Queensland, Australia, whale watching in
Hervey Bay has been estimated as contributing between $AUS6.4m and $AUS11.4m to the
regional economy. Further, nature-based tourism across southern Africa reportedly now
generates roughly the same revenue as farming, forestry, and fisheries combined. In terms of the
value of tourism for biodiversity the argument is generally positioned in two key ways: first, as a
generator of economic means to address conservation issues, and second, as a vehicle to educate
visitors about human impacts on biodiversity and wildlife habitat leading to an increased
awareness and behaviour change. A discussion of values aims to highlight the notion that value
is accrued in a number of forms to a variety of stakeholders and the article argues that a mutual
understanding by managers of both biodiversity and tourism will result in adding value to both in
a shared and symbiotic manner.
 Climate Change: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
Human-induced climate change is a serious concern, drawing increasing
attention from the media, policy makers and citizens around the world. This
comprehensive and thought-provoking volume explains in easily
understandable language the potential effects of climate change on our
planet and our lives.

Climate Change: Causes, Effects and Solutions examines the latest scientific

findings without any advanced technical knowledge. It goes beyond a
description of changes in the physical environment to consider the broader
issues of ecological, economic and human effects of climate change.

The issues explains:

 the causes and effects of climate change from a natural and human

environment perspective.
 mitigation options and policies that could reduce the impacts of
climate change.
 global impacts - with case studies will be found from Bangladesh,
North America, Europe, Australasia and elsewhere.
Win-Win Ecology: How the Earth's Species Can Survive
in the Midst of Human Enterprise
As humanity presses down inexorably on the natural world, people debate
the extent to which we can save the Earth's millions of different species
without sacrificing human economic welfare. But is this argument wise?
Must the human and natural worlds be adversaries? In this book, ecologist
Michael Rosenzweig finds that ecological science actually rejects such
polarization. Instead it suggests that, to be successful, conservation must
discover how we can blend a rich natural world into the world of economic
activity. This revolutionary, common ground between development and
conservation is called reconciliation ecology: creating and maintaining
species-friendly habitats in the very places where people live, work, or play.
The book offers many inspiring examples of the good results already
achieved. The Nature Conservancy, for instance, has a cooperative
agreement with the Department of Defense, with more than 200
conservation projects taking place on more than 170 bases in 41 states. In
places such as Elgin Air Force Base, the human uses-testing munitions,
profitable timbering and recreation--continue, but populations of several
threatened species on the base, such as the long-leaf pine and the red-
cockaded woodpecker, have been greatly improved. The Safe Harbor
strategy of the Fish & Wildlife Service encourages private landowners to
improve their property for endangered species, thus overcoming the
unintended negative aspects of the Endangered Species Act. And Golden
Gate Park, which began as a system of sand dunes, has become, through
human effort, a world of ponds and shrubs, waterfowl and trees.
Rosenzweig shows that reconciliation ecology is the missing tool of
conservation, the practical, scientifically based approach that, when added
to the rest, will solve the problem of preserving Earth's species.
Climate Change and Sustainable Development
Goal: A Case study on Bangladesh
Goal 13—Taking Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change—SDGs

Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is

disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people,
communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow.

People are experiencing the significant impacts of climate change, which

include changing weather patterns, rising sea level, and more extreme
weather events. The greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are
driving climate change and continue to rise. They are now at their highest
levels in history. Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is
projected to rise over the 21st century and is likely to surpass 3 degrees
Celsius this century—with some areas of the world expected to warm even
more. The poorest and most vulnerable people are being affected the most.

Affordable, scalable solutions are now available to enable countries to

leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies. The pace of change is
quickening as more people are turning to renewable energy and a range of
other measures that will reduce emissions and increase adaptation efforts.

But climate change is a global challenge that does not respect national
borders. Emissions anywhere affect people everywhere. It is an issue that
requires solutions that need to be coordinated at the international level and
it requires international cooperation to help developing countries move
toward a low-carbon economy.