Health Impacts of Air Pollution and Climate Change

Peshawar is also been one of the leading cities with unhealthy air quality. The World Economic Forum 2016 report states, “amongst the 3,000 cities in the WHO’s air quality database, Peshawar ranked in second place, followed by Zabol in Iran.¹⁸

The analysis of air pollution the PCSIR report on 26 December 2018 concluded hazardous levels of 2450 ppm as against EPA permissible 150 ppm level. It was ground level estimation as against customary elevated level measurement. On that particular day, as per PCSIR measurement of analysis it was “16 times higher meaning it was extremely hazardous” for human health.

Another study titled, “Health costs of brick kilns emissions in Peshawar: A Policy Analysis” estimated ,“Total welfare benefit in terms of health cost for district Peshawar is PKR 6692.985 million or (PKR 6.7 billion) per annum with air quality mitigation to a safer level. Besides, 36 days per annum is estimated as the productivity loss by individuals.

For each household the monetary benefit to avoid the restricted day of working is PKR 198, whereas the monetary benefit for the Peshawar city is PKR 107.935 million of bringing down the PM10 level.^19,20

Globally, the vision for clear blue skies and pollution free world is gaining momentum. A two day UN summit on Climate Change (COP26), comprising 120 heads of state & governments at Glasgow, met to find ways towards a cleaner world and reducing global warming