Air Pollution: Urbanization And Industrialization

Air pollution has been identified as one of the biggest environment risks to health. Approximately 6.5 million people around the world die prematurely from exposure to ambient and household air pollution (citation 1). Nine out of ten people breathe outdoor air higher than the acceptable levels outlined by the World Health Organization (Citation 2). And it is estimated that outdoor pollution resulted in 4.2 million deaths in 2016, an increase from 3.4 million in 1990 (citation 3).

Air pollution is the emission of harmful substances to the atmosphere (citation 4) and is a by-product of increased urbanization and industrialization. There are four different but distinct types of air pollution; ambient (outdoor) and household (indoor), as well

Records show that Romans referred to the smog in the city as gravioris caeli (“heavy heaven”) and infamis aer (“infamous air”). The pollution they saw was lead toxins in the air (a by-product of extracting silver from lead ore), copper toxins from the extraction of copper, and smoke from wood burning fires (Citation 5). By the time the industrial revolution came around coal was widely used during the manufacturing process. This resulted in smog and soot that grew over cities and covered buildings. One of the most disastrous events that culminated from burning coal was the Great Smog of London. It was in 1952 when a blanket of toxic smog covered London’s skies for 5 days. It was estimated that the smog killed approximetly 12,000 people and made up to 100,000 ill– making it Europes worst air pollution crises to date (Citation 6). The smog was the result of both coal-fired power stations and households burning more coal due to decreased temperatures and an anticyclone that swept over London. The increased sulfur dioxide in the air caused sickness and ultimately the death of many across

The Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) was entered into force on March 16th, 1983. In the 1960’s acid rain was destroying forests, killing fish in lakes, and threatening ecosystems. Scientists investigated the cause of these events and determined it was a result of air pollutants that had traveled thousands of miles. Through the development of policies and strategies, the parties involved in the Convention would combat air pollution through exchange of information, consultation, and monitoring. The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution is made up of 51 parties and is directed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe