The World Is Less Polluted Today

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), seven million people die because of air pollution across the world every year. This leads to an assumption that the world is becoming more polluted every year and that outdoor air pollution caused by large industrial outlets and automobiles is the cause of such deaths. However, these assumptions may not be completely true.

Fresh air

The quality of air has been improving every year, at least in developed nations. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, from 1950 to 1990, indoor air quality has improved by over 90 per cent for particulate matter. This is true even in Delhi. According to WHO, in 2013, the concentration of particles under 2.5 microns was 198 ppm (parts per mission) in Delhi, but in 2014, it declined to 153 ppm. Even indoor air quality is improving. When the world became more prosperous, people switched to more efficient sources of energy. People today are far less likely to burn wood, dung or crop residues for cooking. However, more than a billion people do not have access to electricity and billions of people still use ancient means of cooking worldwide. In India, a great number households still burn wood, dung or crop residues for cooking. This has a greater impact on air quality than pollution from automobiles or industrial outlets. More respiratory diseases and infections are caused by leaky coal stoves, burning wood and other ancient methods of cooking.

Easy ride

Throughout the world, people have started using more efficient sources of energy now. Even cars today, among other sources of transportation, pollute less than the cars of the past, because they are more energy efficient. The usage of natural gas and electricity have played a major role in the decline of pollution. Fossil fuels and other forms of modern energy have played an important role in lowering pollution. In India, this has not happened enough because the access to electricity and natural gas is still low.

The WHO has long maintained that India's capital Delhi is the most-polluted city in the world. In fact, it is at least 1.5 times more polluted that Beijing. To counter this, Chinese capital Beijing recently tried to lower pollution by taking cars off the road and the Delhi government is all set to follow the example. But, as pollution is not primarily caused by vehicles, addressing a relatively minor factor may not address the problem. Water-borne diseases are also common in India and the role dams and water projects would play in curtailing water pollution is generally ignored.

Being rich

Developed countries have dealt with these problems to a satisfactory degree. Affluence explains much of the decline in pollution in these countries. For example, wealthy countries are more likely to have access to natural gas and electricity. They are more likely to have better dams and superior water supply and sewage systems. Prosperous nations are also more likely to have more energy efficient and less-polluting automobiles. Developed countries also have more high-rises that, lead to more energy-sharing and better preservation of green spaces.