SUMMARY of the Article “South Asia’s Smog” by Jamil Ahmad, Dawn [Published on December 20th, 2023]
Air pollution has emerged as a severe environmental threat, significantly affecting well-being and posing health risks, particularly in South Asia, which houses a quarter of the global population and exhibits the world’s worst urban air pollution. The region experiences dangerously elevated air pollution levels, surpassing WHO guidelines and exposing inhabitants to unhealthy air throughout the year, leading to a reduction in life expectancy. Winter exacerbates the problem, trapping a toxic mix of smoke and dust in layers of smog due to cold and heavy air. Cities like Lahore, Peshawar, Gujranwala, New Delhi, and Kolkata rank among the most polluted globally. The impact is particularly calamitous for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory and cardiac conditions. In Pakistan, life expectancy has decreased by four years due to air pollution, with residents in highly affected urban areas expected to lose up to five years of their lives. Major sources of pollution include toxic emissions from industry, transport, waste burning, and seasonal crop residue burning. While short-term measures like issuing health » Read More…