#215 A Breath of Fresh Air

Life Expectancy

“We are breathing air that is cleaner than it has been for centuries”

Hannah Ritchie “Not the End of the World” (1)

A Five-Minute Read

In December 1952, a killer smog covered London. It was made up of particulate matter from coal fires. An unfortunate combination of cold and the complete absence of wind caused the smog to form. Londoners were effectively blinded and the city ground to a standstill for four days. The level of air pollution was far worse than seen in any city in the world today. 10,000 people died directly because of the smog. A further 100,000 were seriously ill with respiratory problems.

Life expectancy improvements do not only come from the wonders of medicine. Around the world improving air quality is having a major impact.

Improving Air Quality improves life Expectancy.

The World Health Organization estimates that even today 7m people a year are killed by air pollution. To put that into context, 8m people are killed by smoking. The small particulate matter in the air is a major problem. It causes respiratory diseases, strokes, cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.

The “technology” exists to reduce air pollution. We all remember the short run efforts to reduce the pollution at the Beijing Olympics. The Government closed factories, particularly those producing cement or burning coal. They were closed before, during and after the games. They reduced the number of cars on the road by a half. They even seeded the clouds for rain. Firing rockets carrying silver iodide crystals into the air away from the stadium. It worked but did not solve the long run problem. Air pollution returned to pre-Olympic levels within a year.

Subsequently residents became more and more concerned. Their protests caused the Government to take action. They reduced industry within the city. They closed steel works. They banned older cars and coal fires. The result was an estimated life extension of 4.6 years for all Beijing residents. The city still does not meet World Health Organization standards.

Do you Remember “Acid Rain”?

Some solutions need international co-operation. At the end of the last century there was growing concern about acid rain. Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are produced from burning fossil fuels. If released into the atmosphere they dissolve in the rain. The result is sulphuric and nitric acids. They were dissolving stone buildings and statues in Northern Europe. Worst still was the bleaching of the forests of Scandinavia and North America. They also acidified many of the lakes.

Governments across these regions eventually acted. The legislated that emissions had to be “scrubbed” of sulphur and nitic dioxides. They can be relatively easily removed within the chimneys. The result was that the problem disappeared. Unfortunately, whilst “acid rain” had strong media appeal, its eradication did not. Many Europeans still believe it is occurring. It is still an issue in the parts of the world where coal is used.

Around the world governments are introducing “Clean Air Acts”. After the London smog the UK government enacted regulations. The results were dramatic. Sulphur dioxide emissions fell. Nitrous oxide emissions fell by 76% and carbon monoxide fell by 94%. One of the major factors was the banning of open coal fires. Around the world societies move from burning wood for heat and cooking. They move on to fossil fuels which cause an increase in air pollution. As prosperity spreads, concern for air pollution increases. Governments take action. China is reaching the point where its air pollution levels are now falling. Electric vehicles are part of the story.

The Battle is Not Over.

It is a surprising fact that very few people die of “air pollution”. At least that is not what is on their death certificate. Ella Adeo-Kissi-Debrah was a bouncy nine-year-old girl who lived on a major road in South London. She suffered from severe asthma. She unfortunately died from it. In 2020 she became the first person in the UK, and possibly the world, to have “air pollution” on her death certificate. The coroner found that the levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air she breathed caused her death. They came from the nearby traffic. They far exceeded the WHO guidelines. There is now a statue to her and a charity focusing on air pollution.

Air pollution is improving all over the world. We know its causes and we know how to prevent it. It still exists. We can continue to improve life expectancy by beating it.

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(1) Many thanks to Hannah Richie for inspiring this Newsletter and providing such insightful data. Thanks also for her book with its upbeat view of progress which we should all read.