A new report from the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) has revealed that escalating air pollution levels in Pakistan, particularly in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, and Peshawar, could potentially slash life expectancy by at least seven years. The study, presented in the latest Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), underscores the urgent need for air quality improvement measures.
AQLI is a comprehensive pollution index which translates particulate air pollution’s impact on life expectancy. In Pakistan, particulate pollution ranks as the second most significant threat to public health, trailing only cardiovascular diseases. On average, it shortens life expectancy by 3.9 years.
The report highlights that Pakistan’s 240 million population resides in regions where annual average particulate pollution levels exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline. Shockingly, 98.3 percent of Pakistanis live in areas surpassing the nation’s own air quality standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter.
The study indicates that adhering to WHO’s recommended annual PM 2.5 concentration of 5 micrograms per cubic meter could extend the average resident’s life expectancy by 3.9 years. Conversely, factors like child and maternal malnutrition, and maternal and neonatal disorders, reduce average life expectancy by 2.7 years.
The AQLI data from 1998 to 2021 exposes a disconcerting 49.9 percent surge in average annual particulate pollution across Pakistan, leading to a 1.5-year decrease in life expectancy. In the provinces most affected — Punjab, Islamabad, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — 65.5 million residents, constituting 69.5 percent of Pakistan’s populace, are on track to lose 3.7 to 4.6 years of average life expectancy relative to WHO guidelines. Similarly, they could lose 2.7 to 3.6 years compared to national standards if pollution persists at current levels.
The report provides a glimmer of hope, suggesting that achieving WHO’s pollution standards would lead to significant gains in life expectancy. Karachi residents could gain 2.7 years, while Lahore and Islamabad residents could experience gains of 7.5 and 4.5 years, respectively.
Additionally, the study underscores India’s substantial role in global pollution escalation, contributing to 59 percent of the world’s pollution increase since 2013.
Source: Pro Pakistani