Long before the Industrial Revolution began, air pollution has proved to be a significant issue for the wellbeing of people across the globe. For many, the cause of their respiratory, circulatory, and cardiovascular diseases, and even the reasons for thousands of deaths, began at home. Although numerical data can not been gathered to understand the exact number of lives tainted by polluted air centuries ago, scientific evidence has found skeletons with blackened lungs resulting from their environments. The first cause evident in history: indoor domestic fires.
In some ways, air pollution was slightly impossible to manage prior to modern technology. A large source of air pollution came from volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and dust storms. However, human activity also caused air pollution, shown by early villages and towns revolving around domestic work. Centuries ago, fires were located inside a family’s home, and with modern infrastructure techniques unavailable during these times, ventilation was poor. This dilemma only worsened with the rise of urban living and cities, especially as smelting furnaces, potteries, and pre-industrial workshops were created.
An extremely common place for indoor domestic fires was also found in metallurgies with Rome and China leading when the industry first began. Although empirical data based on scientific research has been limited, numerous novels have been written by scholars of pre-industrial times proving that air pollution was relevant in their lives. Specifically in ancient Rome, writers referred to the dense smog as gravioris caeli (“heavy heaven”) or infamis aer (“infamous air”). For as long as man-made fire has xisted, so too has the existence of polluted air. Once the Industrial Revolution sparked, the effects of air pollution was recognized by the public, due to the emergence of coal and factories’ increasing dependency on it as a resource. All across Europe, industries moved from isolated areas into the heart of urban centers, leading to escalating levels of domestic heat and urban smogs. In many instances, the foggy conditions caused by polluted air led to a dramatic rise in mortality rates.
Because of this, King Edward I of England attempted to reduce air pollution in the latter part of the 13th century by authorizing harsh penalties on individuals and corporations that refused to stop burning sea-coal. This, alongside the Public Health Act (1875) which established smoke-free areas in England, seemed to have little effect considering the Great London Smog of 1952 resulted in 4,000 deaths. The discovery of acid rain also occurred in 1952 when severe industrial air pollution created a lethal haze that killed 20 people in Dorona, Pennsylvania and left another 7,000 dangerously sick.
Researchers were able to determine that the cause of so many respiratory, circulatory, and cardiovascular diseases resulted from greenhouse gas emissions and coal-powered plants. In light of events like the Dorona catastrophe, many people began referring to these medical threats as “gas attacks”, fearing the negative effects of motor vehicle exhaust and local petroleum refineries. In fact, transportation had a significant impact on the amount of air pollution in the atmosphere, most evident with motor transportation exhaust being one of the highest contributors to air pollution in the past and present.
Due to air pollution having a direct correlation with respiratory diseases, governments around the world have begun to establish initiatives to reduce pollution in the air. Originally, these programs and laws were attempted in very few countries. The European Union, specifically the United Kingdom and Austria, had some success with limiting air pollution. In contrast though, China’s initial frameworking guidelines had little impact considering the country was unable to meet their stated goals. Air pollution was viewed as a problem that should be handled within individual countries.
However, the theory of air pollution being a global phenomenon began in 1981 when the Quebec Ministry of the Environment in Canada found evidence stating that 60% of the acid rain in Quebec originated from the United States’ industrial sources in the Midwest and Northeast. Now viewed as an international crisis, the Earth Summit in Rio de la neiro, Brazil held a conference hosting 188 countries and 35,000 participants. Two main treaties were signed, the first one focusing on curbing emissions of greenhouse gases in light of both its environmental and health consequences.
Alongside large meetings, numerous laws and cultural expectations have been created to limit air pollution, such as the United State’s Clean Air Act (1970), which declared an official policy on the issue, spread awareness, funded research, and created National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In addition, Earth Day and its varying teach-ins and rallies have become a cultural phenomenon in countries ranging from China to Morocco. Although steps have been taken in the past to curb air pollution, the problem has still persisted as a medical crisis for centuries.
This is most evidently seen in a study completed by the National Center for Health Statistics in 1982, which found that 4% of the United States’ schoolchildren have high levels of lead in their bloodstream, and 675,000 risk kidney damage, brain damage, anemia, and cognitive disabilities from pollution caused by leaded gasoline. Throughout history, the international community has struggled with understanding and decreasing air pollution, many times not even realizing that the cause of their illnesses is the very air they are breathing.
CURRENT ISSUE Air pollution in today’s global society has reached epidemic proportions. Approximately 3. 7 million deaths annually are attributed to ambient air pollution alone, and 4. 3 million deaths are attributed to household air pollution. These staggering statistics are the result of nations, worldwide, inability to maintain PM10 (Particulate matter of ten microns or less in diameter) levels limited by the World Health Organization. PM10, in addition to PM2. 5, is a method for measuring polluted air. Countries such as Pakistan, Qatar, and Afghanistan lead the globe in excessive levels of PM10 and PM2. , far greater than the regulations placed by the World Health Organization. Extreme levels are what characterize highly polluted areas, which have detrimental causes to all aspects of society, including the economy. As of 2010, the European Region of the world racked up an astounding US$ 1. 6 billion for approximately 600,000 deaths due to air pollution. Additionally, 10% of the $1. 6 billion lost to the casualties of air pollution was dedicated towards diseases contracted from the devastating states of the environment in different cities across the globe.
Many of the countries affected by the incredible economic and health costs of air pollution are defined as underdeveloped. In a study performed by the World Health Organization, low and middle income (LMI) countries are greatly affected by polluted air and have a high rate of deaths due to pollution. Southeast Asia, consisting of countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and the Philippines, suffered 1. 69 million deaths due to ambient (outdoor air pollution in 2012, whereas Europe suffered a mere 99,000 and America, taking the lead for fewest deaths due to ambient air pollution in 2012, with only 81,000.
The correlation between deaths caused by air pollution and LMI countries additionally represents the need for improved healthcare systems worldwide. Many diseases contracted from air pollution can be treated to increase the chance for survival, or even be cured. In developing countries, such as those in Africa that suffered 600,000 casualties in 2012 due to air pollution, there are significantly less opportunities for receiving the healthcare needed to treat diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, acute lower respiratory infections, and many more benign turned malignant disease that accompany air pollution.
Many of these diseases were responsible for 482,000 premature deaths in the European Region of the world in 2012. Exposure to PM10 and PM2. 5 levels above the World Health Organization regulations resulted in deaths that were both treatable and preventable. The overwhelming prevalence of death due to air pollution has forced global powers to actively seek a method for controlling pollution in the air. On May 26, 2015 the sixty-eighth World Health Assembly met in Geneva, Switzerland where they adopted a resolution titled, “Health and the environment: addressing the health impact of air pollution. Passed by the delegations of France, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland and Ukraine along with Chile, Colombia, Panama, United States of America, Uruguay and Zambia, this resolution focused on encouraging nations to commit to the guidelines for controlling air pollution presented by the World Health Organization, in addition to creating a global awareness of the issue, and conducting research and data to be used for curing diseases derived from air pollution.
The effectiveness of this resolution is not yet known due to its young age, however the World Health Organization has confidence that it is a step in the right direction. Additionally, countries that suffer greatly from high levels of air pollution such as India and China have seen an increase in activity of different organizations working to reduce levels of air pollution in their respective countries. In India, the campaign titled “Let Delhi Breathe” aims to control the pollution in the city of New Delhi, India.
They have required that all diesel vehicles have a PM (particulate matter) filter that cuts PM emissions by 85-98%, effectively controlling emissions that contribute to high levels of pollution in that area. In China, an NGO called Green Space has been actively working to reduce China’s use of coal, which is one of the main contributors to China’s highly polluted air. Initiatives taken by both organizations are an inspiration to other countries who still suffer under intense pollution.
Even though action is being taken among countries to combat intense air pollution, the fact remains that millions of deaths annually are a direct result of high levels of air pollution. It is our duty as the World Health Organization to come to a comprehensive solution that will protect the lives of our global civilization. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER How is your country affected by air pollution? Does your country have any policies/laws in place for air pollution? What actions has your country taken against air pollution? How have medical facilities been affected by the increase in air pollution?
How can the World Health Organization combat air pollution in the midst of a developing world? How will countries sustainably develop? COMMITTEE DIRECTIVE Since the World Health Organization is not an environmental committee, your primary goal is to compromise and work together to figure out how to treat and prevent the rising presence of air pollution, in the context of human health. The focus of debate should be preventative measures and improvements to health care that the WHO can suggest in efforts to assist those suffering of air pollution.
