Geneva: Wildfires likely intensified by climate change have made substantial contributions to air pollution over the past year, as highlighted in a recent report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
According to Emirates News Agency, the World Health Organisation estimates that ambient air pollution results in 4.5 million premature deaths annually. The WMO's report for 2024 identified pollution hotspots in regions that experienced severe fires, such as the Amazon basin, Canada, Siberia, and central Africa.
The report underscores the impact of global warming, primarily driven by fossil fuel emissions, in altering weather patterns, which in turn has led to more frequent and widespread wildfires globally. These fires contribute to airborne particles, compounding pollution from other sources like the burning of coal, oil, gas, wood, transportation, and farming.
The WMO's statement emphasized that wildfires are a significant source of particle pollution, and this issue is expected to escalate as the climate continues to warm. This poses increasing risks to infrastructure, ecosystems, and human health.
While the report specifically focuses on the year 2024, the WMO also noted that record wildfires in southern Europe this year have further contributed to pollution across the continent.