Based on the latest calculations of Andrea Pozzer, Max Planck scientist, heavy air pollution resulting in unhealthy and difficult breathing can become true for most of the world population in 2050 in case no action is taken. Especially North India, China and the Middle East may be impacted by a significant decrease in air quality.
It is expected that the global air quality will be similar to how it is nowadays in Southeast Asia. This has been concluded based on the atmospheric simulation performed by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, the Joint Research Centre of the EU and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics. The chemical atmospheric model EMAC utilized by researchers for their present study is the first one that includes all major air pollutants that impact human health negatively. These include ozone, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter smaller than 2.5 µm, which are considered harmful.
Andrea Pozzer added that additional legislation to monitor and bring down man-made emissions is required especially for Northern India and Eastern China to prevent hot-spots of high level of air pollution. It has been expected that East Asia will be exposed to high pollution levels that include sulphur dioxide, fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.
The Arabian Gulf and Northern India will suffer a drastic increase in ozone levels primarily because of population density and an anticipated increase in industrial production and transportation in these areas. Air pollution in North America and Europe will also increase but because of the impact of mitigation policies that have been in place for over 20 years, to a much lesser extent when compared to Asia.
After arriving on these results, the researchers desire to broaden the analyses. They want to determine how many people will be impacted by the detrimental effects of decreasing air quality.
Source: http://www.mpg.de