Skip to content

Air Pollution Is Still a Long-Term Problem

A security guard closes the gate in the fence that delimitates the area not accessible to the general public, that will host Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is seen at Olympic Park on January 23, 2022 in Beijing, China.
A security guard closes the gate in the fence that delimitates the area not accessible to the general public, that will host Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is seen at Olympic Park on January 23, 2022 in Beijing, China. Photo: Andrea Verdelli (Getty Images)

Poor air quality is a danger to human health. If pollution’s accompanying coughing fits and strained breathing didn’t already make that abundantly clear, an Air Quality Index report released last year determined poor air quality was “the greatest risk to human health” around the globe. Particulate matter can cut human life expectancy by an average of two years.

While it’s great that China wants to clear the air ahead of a big event, it’s also clear that more needs to be done so that we don’t need emergency measures in the first place.

Related Articles