At the end of last month, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution recognising that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a human right. The Assembly called upon countries, international organisations, businesses and others to enhance international cooperation to ensure cleaner land, air and water for all.
It comes ahead of the first meeting in October of a new international task force on air pollution, which also aims to strengthen international cooperation.
Increasingly, the boundary-defying nature of pollution is being recognised. A smoke stack in one country chokes the air of neighbouring nations almost as much as its own. It’s a situation Southeast Asia is intimately familiar with: forest fires in Indonesia often blanketing the region in smoke at this time of year.
And as globalisation continues, goods are increasingly manufactured in developing economies; the associated pollution of production effectively exported to nations with less stringent air quality regulation. Almost everyone in the world is breathing unhealthy levels of air pollution, with people in low and middle-income countries suffering the highest exposures.
Technology exists to prevent air pollution. It then becomes a matter of political will to see it applied. As with the UK in the 1950s, Europe in the 1970s, and China in the 2000s, people won’t tolerate foul air forever. The pressure is rising for nations to work together to create global standards on air quality and bring their most polluting neighbour up to them.
At the General Assembly, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) executive director Inger Andersen urged “all nations of the world to get to work – so we can place a healthy environment at the centre of human wellbeing, sustainable development and the enjoyment of all human rights".
REALITY CHECK
Almost the entire global population (99 percent of us) breathes air that exceeds World Health Organization air quality recommendations, threating our health.
If we continue business as usual, air pollution will cause 40 percent more premature deaths than today.
Over 6,000 towns or cities in 117 countries monitor pollution from coarse and fine soot particles (PM10 and/or PM2.5).
BIG IDEAS
Quote attributable to Guy Marks, UNSW “There is no safe amount of air pollution.”
Quote attributable to Helena Varkkey, Universiti Malaya “The haze is transboundary not only in its effects but also in its causes ... Malaysian interests own 18 percent to 30 percent of Indonesian palm-oil plantations, and Singaporean firms also feature prominently.”
Quote attributable to Karn Vohra, University College London “The best way to monitor the pollution is to track it from all sides, bringing together ground-based observations, satellite data and atmospheric-chemistry modelling.”
PERSPECTIVES
Borderless haze threatens Southeast Asia Helena Varkkey, Universiti Malaya Governments, civil society and the international community need to work fast as the dry season approaches and smoke haze returns in Southeast Asia.
Laying down the law on air pollution Cecep Aminudin, University of Padjadjaran Air pollution is an international problem. Domestic and international laws could work together to combat it.
Science can clear the air for pollution policymakers Karn Vohra, University College London Together, satellite data, atmospheric-chemistry modelling and ground-based monitoring could help mitigate the South Asian air-pollution crisis.
There's no safe level of air pollution Guy B. Marks, UNSW Emissions that meet air-quality standards still cause illness and early death. Planning decisions need to help drive down exposure.
The pesky problem of offshoring pollution Chen Qinqin, Tsinghua University A turn to sustainable development could help stop rich countries offshoring their pollution to poorer countries.
Tackling air pollution at a global scale Bin Jalaludin, UNSW Air pollution has no respect for borders. Regional agreements can only go so far. The world needs a global agreement
Fixing Jakarta's commuter pollution problem Driejana, Institut Teknologi Bandung The Indonesian capital’s air quality is already bad. Emissions from vehicles commuting from its fringes worsens the situation.
How victims can pay polluters for a win-win result Euston Quah, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) With smoke haze posing a significant pollution issue in Southeast Asia, a victim-pays approach could result in cleaner air for all.
