Sustainable Development Goals and the Importance of Clean Air
Malhotra is a pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine physician scientist at UC San Diego, running a large National Institutes of Health-funded research laboratory focused on respiratory diseases. He is also former president of the American Thoracic Society. He lives in La Jolla.
Introduction
If someone asked you if we can afford clean water, you would probably say it is a stupid question. Of course we can afford clean water for ourselves, our families, our patients and our citizens.
However, the same argument does not seem to apply to clean air.
When people start talking about clean air, the conversation often veers abruptly towards the politics of climate change. In my view, political debate over global warming has obscured the major cardiopulmonary toxicity of air pollution.
The Importance of Clean Air
There is really no argument from any serious source that air pollution is harmless or that we should allow our kids to breathe air that may be unhealthy. If a city has polluted tap water, bottled water can be a stopgap while the infrastructure is improved. There is no viable alternative for people denied clean air.
I have no major expertise regarding climate change but am open to good scientific discourse from well-informed individuals rather than heavily politicized bickering. However, as a lung expert, I am pretty well-informed regarding air pollution and am not aware of any thoughtful contrarian arguments.
The Impact of Wildfires on Air Pollution
The recent wildfires have raised a spotlight on the impact of air pollution on human health.
Wildfire smoke has a number of components that can be harmful but the particulates which are respirable — or breathable into the lung — may be of greatest concern. A point of emphasis is that the visible particles seen are not necessarily those that are most injurious in terms of entering the lung. In short, what you can’t see is what may be hurting you. Thus, protecting yourself and your family from the effects of air pollution should not rely on a visual inspection of the environment. Rather, it requires assessment of quantitative data from your local environment, including the air quality index.
The risk of the wildfires depends on the dose, like with most things in medicine. If you are very close to the fires, there is a risk of carbon monoxide, which in high doses can be rapidly fatal. If you are farther away from the fires, there can be irritation of the eyes, nose and throat and other effects that may be particularly problematic in people with underlying heart and lung disease. Indeed, increases in cardiac and respiratory events (including heart attacks) particularly in older adults were documented following the California wildfires in 2015, although the longer term toxicity is less clear and would likely take decades to establish definitively.
The Impact of Air Pollution on Health
Four points are worth emphasizing.
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Ozone Levels and Asthma Attacks
Ozone levels, as can be impacted by wildfires, can trigger asthma attacks in our children. Emergency room physicians can sometimes anticipate the current ozone levels based on the number of children in the emergency department having respiratory compromise or deterioration.
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Fine Particulate Matter and Cardiovascular Risk
Wildfires can affect levels of fine particulate matter (particles that are 2.5 microns or smaller that can be inhaled into the lung), which has been associated with cardiovascular risk. Other toxicities from particulates include worsening asthma, impaired cognition, risk of lung cancer, absenteeism from work and erectile dysfunction. Of note, proximity to freeways and the associated poor air quality have been associated with various poor health outcomes, affecting vulnerable groups preferentially.
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Air Quality and Lung Function
In prominent studies in the New England Journal of Medicine, improvements in air quality in the Los Angeles region were associated with improvements in lung function across four different counties. Although the data are correlative, they strongly suggest that improvements in air quality that occurred during the 1990s and 2000s were consistently associated with improved lung function growth for children living in these areas.
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Air Pollution in Developing Countries
Many developing countries have shocking levels of air pollution that impact the health of their citizens. India reported
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
- Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution.
- Indicator 3.9.2: Mortality rate attributed to unsafe water, unsafe sanitation, and lack of hygiene.
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SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
- Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population-weighted).
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SDG 13: Climate Action
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
- Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:
– Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
– Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
– Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators include:
– Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution.
– Indicator 3.9.2: Mortality rate attributed to unsafe water, unsafe sanitation, and lack of hygiene.
– Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population-weighted).
– Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
– Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
SDGs Targets Indicators SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination. Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution.
Indicator 3.9.2: Mortality rate attributed to unsafe water, unsafe sanitation, and lack of hygiene.SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population-weighted). SDG 13: Climate Action Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: sandiegouniontribune.com
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