Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time, with particulate matter (PM2.5) being the leading environmental health risk factor. A recent study by Monash University researchers, published in the prestigious journal Lancet Planetary Health, has shed new light on the state of PM2.5 concentrations across the globe, revealing that only a small percentage of the world’s population is exposed to safe levels of this pollutant.
The study used a combination of traditional air quality monitoring observations, satellite-based meteorological and air pollution detectors, statistical and machine learning methods to more accurately assess PM2.5 concentrations globally. The researchers found that only 0.18% of the global land area and 0.001% of the global population were exposed to PM2.5 levels below the safety limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
