Discuss the main causes of ambient air pollution and the influence that urbanization has on ambient air quality and health. What actions can be taken to reduce air pollution emissions? Consider possibilities at the individual, community, national, and international levels. How can air quality be monitored and improved as a global initiative?
Please answer with a minimum of 300 words. Please cite any and all references used.
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Ambient Air Pollution
Air pollution can be described as the availability of pollutants in the atmosphere with sufficient quantity and duration, affecting human beings, animals, and plants. As such, outdoor or ambient air pollution aren’t left behind. They are varied and include both natural and human-made. Some of the causes are the combustion of fossil fuels, industrial processes, agricultural processes, waste incineration, volcanoes, and even thunderstorm, to name a few.
Combustion of fossil fuel through the burning of diesel or fuel oil releases particulate matter that is not environment friendly, which contributes to ambient pollution of air and climate change. Further, industrial processes such as metal smelting emit compounds such as Sulphur or carbon oxides into the atmosphere. This possess a lot of risk to people who leave close to industries, mostly the young ones (Mannucci & Franchini, 2017)..
Many stakeholders need to be involved in the efficient reduction of air pollution. For instance, government agencies and at the national level should advocate for the use of Eco-friendly transportation systems, produce clean energy, and use green buildings to reduce the carbon footprint. Solutions like replacing fossil fuels with alternatives like wind, solar, and geothermal should be considered at the community level. Additionally, local governments can also work with international bodies like the UN and WHO and other recognized bodies to increase synergies and coordination and information outreach (World Health Organization, 2016). These, together with formal collaboration on reducing air pollution, remove the implication of shifting the environmental problem to another country.
International community measures like the international day of clean air for blue skies create a community of action that encourages cooperation from regional to national. Such measures need to be considered as it will provide clean air for all. That is, reducing the effects that come with ambient air.
References
Mannucci, P. M., & Franchini, M. (2017). Health effects of ambient air pollution in developing countries. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(9), 1048.
World Health Organization. (2016). Ambient air pollution: A global assessment of exposure and burden of disease.
