In early June, the sky turned yellow across much of the northeastern United States. People woke up to smog, fog and a red sun and were warned to stay indoors to protect themselves from a toxic cocktail of air pollutants. In New York, his levels particulate matter 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5) recorded at a record 400 micrograms per cubic meter. That reading exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended 24-hour standard guidelines by 11 times and was equivalent to every person in the city, including babies, smoking 5-10 cigarettes. Such unprecedented levels of air pollution New York is the most polluted of all major cities in the world that day, displacing perennial record holders such as New Delhi or Lahore.
Bad air in New York and the Northeast was carried by winds from Alberta, Nova Scotia and Quebec – the provinces of Canada record temperatures and droughts that have caused an unprecedented number of fires.
Air Quality: A Complex Network of Systems Affecting Everyone, Everywhere
These facts highlight that air quality is a complex network of systems it affects everyone, everywhere, to varying degrees. Worryingly, from 2021, no country meets the World Health Organization's annual air quality guidelines for ambient PM2.5 particles – the fine particles of air pollution or the particles responsible for 6.4 million deaths each year. Less than 50% of countries meet the least stringent intermediate target. Therefore, 99% of the world's population is exposed to air pollution surpassing it WHO recommended limits.
Acute air pollution caused by wildfires or sand and dust storms is likely to worsen with climate change. There are various reasons because wildfires may occur, but their increasing frequency and intensity shows the complex link between extreme weather events caused by climate change and air pollution. In North America, El Nino/ENSO effects bringing drier, warmer weather the weather in northern USA and Canada magnified by climate change. Fire seasons have already become longer and more severe. In the US, the area burned has increased dramatically from approx 1.3 million acres in 1983 to over 7.6 million acres in 2020. This trend is not limited to the US and Canada. In recent years, extreme fires have struck the Amazon, Alaska, Australia, California, Europe, Indonesia, Russia and Turkey, spreading pollution over vast distances.
Warmer temperatures and drier conditions due to climate change not only contribute to more wildfires, but have also been linked to increased desertification. Dry and degraded landscapes can intensify sand and dust storms, which together with wildfires cause significant environmental and health risks. Driven by strong winds that transport dust particles from eroding soils, particularly in drought-affected and degraded areas, sand and dust storms are exacerbated by unsustainable land practices, vegetation removal and biodiversity loss. They destroy millions of hectares of renewable natural resources and contribute significantly to air pollution in some parts of the world. Recent studies reveal that more than 50% of the average annual exposure to PM2.5 in Central Asia and the South Caucasus can be attributed to natural dust and fires.
“Warmer temperatures and drier conditions due to climate change not only contribute to more wildfires, but have also been linked to increased desertification. Dry and degraded landscapes can intensify sand and dust storms, which together with wildfires pose significant risks for the environment and health.”
Air pollution is part of a feedback loop that amplifies climate impacts
Air pollution caused by smoke and dust affects the environment, public health and productivity. It is part of a feedback loop that further amplifies climate impacts: wildfires are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and forest destruction, while natural dust storms are linked to soil erosion and loss of soil carbon, as well as lower agricultural yields .
In war-torn Ukraine, forest fires have contributed significantly to the increase in air pollution-related mortality, with about 8% of PM2.5 emissions attributable to forest fires. In Uzbekistan, a recent study estimates the economic losses caused by sand and dust storms from the dried Aral seabed at $44 million annually. It suggests that carefully planned landscape restoration can significantly reduce air pollution and improve health and livelihoods, providing annual benefits of $28-44 million. He also emphasizes that landscape restoration can also help mitigate climate change by preventing carbon release and CO2 absorption.
The Fires 2021 in Turkey caused widespread damage to urban, forestry and agricultural infrastructure, affecting populated areas, resulting in environmental, human and economic losses. The recently approved 400 million dollars Turkey Climate Resilient Forests Project aims to address some of these challenges and restore burnt areas. The project will benefit forest villages and communities, providing livelihood and employment support to 21,000 households and financial and technical assistance to 2,000 women-led enterprises. In the Kyrgyz Republic, a $50 million project under preparation aims to tackle air pollution in the capital Bishkek, which has been ranked first in the world for air pollution by the Air Quality Index (AQI) several times in recent years. The project will support the reduction of PM2.5 pollution through the improvement of the national air quality management system and measures that provide cleaner domestic heating, a green belt pilot in the city and improved green maintenance to reduce dust and impacts of the thermal island.
Clearing the air: Why policy action matters
In arid regions such as those of Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Turkey, and around the world, integrated national green development strategies and policies combined with sustainable natural resource management and community participation can significantly reduce air pollution, improve health and create local employment opportunities. Effective landscape restoration and soil conservation, urban greening and fire management can also deliver global benefits by mitigating climate impacts and building resilience against future climate crises.
After all, clean air is a global public good. Its benefits cross borders, require regional cooperation and are enjoyed by all. With effective climate, environment and air quality policy responses, we can ensure that the sky stays blue, not yellow.
