Fifteenth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses

Abstract

Air pollution was the global fourth-leading risk factor for premature mortality in 2019. The large majority of these deaths were driven by the inhalation of ambient air pollution (AAP) in the forms fine-particulate matter (PM2.5). Bangladesh has ranked as the most polluted country globally, between 2018 and 2021 with AAP levels well beyond safety limits as set by the WHO. Using primary health and AAP exposure data from 12,250 individuals, the study assessing the relationship between exposure to AAP and health conditions, establishes that exposure to PM2.5 significantly increases the probability of experiencing breathing difficulties, cough, and lower respiratory tract infections. The elderly (65+ years), children (0 to 5 years) and individuals with co-morbidities such as diabetes or health conditions are significantly more at risk than other age groups. Moreover, a comparison of sources of pollution – major construction (MC), brick kilns, and persistent traffic, suggest that emissions of AAP from MC are higher and more detrimental to health than others. Driven by climate change and further compounded by rapid urbanization, AAP levels are likely to intensify further over time and thereby, underscoring the urgent need for the health sector to be better prepared to deal with the burgeoning crisis.