Our activities, including the production of energy, heat, industrial goods, food, and transport pollute the air that we breathe in. There is general consensus that hundreds of thousands of citizens die prematurely every year in different parts of the world due to air pollution. Environmental analysts have been underlining the fact that we are paying for poor air quality in increased disease-burden, cognitive decline and mental health, healthcare costs, productivity loss and lower GDP. The most affected are the vulnerable in our societies: children and the poor.

Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of air pollution. Exposure to air pollution enhances the risk of asthma, reduced lung function, respiratory infections and allergies in children and adolescents. A high presence of carbon monoxide (CO), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and Sulphur dioxide (SO2) pose significant risks to public health, resulting in morbidity and ultimately mortality. Heart disease, stroke, lung diseases and lung cancers are also attributed to air pollution. Studies also point to a link between exposure to air pollution and greater risks for diabetes, cognitive impairment, and neurological diseases.

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