Access to clean air is a human right. The second International Day of Clean Air for blue skies was observed across the world on Tuesday. Facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the day was observed emphasising the health effects of air pollution with a global call to hold the governments and industries accountable for their actions. In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly designated this day as the International Clean Air Day for a Blue Sky. This year’s theme of the day is “Healthy Air, Healthy Planet”.
The importance of oxygen for our survival need not be emphasised. As a matter of fact oxygen is available in the air free of costs. Recently, we have witnessed the sufferings of Covid-19 patients with breathing difficulties moving from one hospital to another in search of medical oxygen. At one stage, oxygen became so scarce that many patients had to pay tens of thousands of taka each as hospital bills only for its supply. It may be noted that Bangladesh ranked 179th out of 180 countries for bad air quality in the world in the 2020 Environmental Performance Index. In the same year, Swiss air quality technology company IQAir ranked Bangladesh at the top with “worst air quality”. According to available studies and research, air pollution has given rise to acute and chronic illnesses like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and damage of lung tissues, particularly among children, women, and the elderly.
According to the office of the UNEP Regional Director, poor air quality deepens the health risks brought about by climate change which is already threatening lives of millions of children in Bangladesh. The concentrated factories, brick kilns and tanneries on the outskirts of the city release greenhouse gases increasing the atmospheric temperature. Pollutant gas emissions, smoke and dust particles from heavy traffic poison the air in the city that is already overpopulated, catalyse the adverse impacts of air pollution. Experts attribute this to unplanned development and construction works, lack of coordination among government agencies and lax monitoring.
We must remember that the air quality of Bangladesh has reached a stage that it will be suicidal for us not to take the necessary steps urgently, to reduce air pollution to an acceptable level, as recommended by WHO. In major cities authorities must introduce mass transit transport facilities which will help reduce emission of motor vehicle exhausts.
