Air pollution
Air pollution affects millions of people worldwide, stemming from diverse sources. Both household and outdoor air pollution pose severe threats related to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancers, and other conditions.
Photo by Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin.
4th highest risk
as a health issue, making air pollution a top risk factor for death worldwide.
40%
of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is attributable to air pollution.
192 million
YLLs (years of life lost) were due to air pollution in 2019.
48%
of deaths due to air pollution occurred in South Asia.
Interactive data visuals
GBD Compare

Compare trends in air pollution and its contribution to deaths and disability due to causes like COPD and lower respiratory infection.
Datasets in our catalog
Visit the Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx) to download our estimates and data sources for air pollution.
Chile National Air Quality Information System Monitoring Station Database
Environmental monitoring
Chile National Air Quality Information System Monitoring Station Database
EEA Air Quality e-Reporting Database 2018
Environmental monitoring
EEA Air Quality e-Reporting Database 2018
Air pollution data from the Global Burden of Disease
In 2019, air pollution was the leading Level 2 risk factor for DALYs among all environmental and occupational risks. It contributed to 213 million DALYs and 6.67 million deaths in 2019.
