THE World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) yesterday said an increase in pollution from wildfires and heatwaves risks undermining international efforts to improve air quality, protect human and the ecosystem health.

The UN organisation highlights this in its yearly air quality and climate bulletin, which shows air quality and climate interlinkages.

WMO said there is the need for improved atmospheric observations of air pollutants such as fine particulate matter, and ground-level ozone, aerosol like black carbon and microplastics, which are not sufficiently monitored even though they are widespread and are potentially harmful to ecosystems.

It stresses the importance of complementary and coordinated policies on air quality and climate because they cannot be dealt with in isolation.

The report, which features a series of articles written by the scientific community advising WMO on air quality, was released for International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on 7 September. It is based on data and information from WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch network, enshrining its philosophy of science for services for the public good.
The study warned that pollution generated by climate-linked events is itself contributing to climate breakdown, creating a feedback loop that risks dragging the world deeper into environmental catastrophe.

Scientific officer of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Lorenzo Labrador, said: “Air quality and climate cannot be treated as separate subjects; they are deeply intertwined and have to be treated together.”

The report said systematic reviews and experimental studies consistently link wildfire smoke exposure to increased asthma attacks, hospitalisations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), spiked respiratory medication use, as well as impacts on mental health and birth outcomes.

According to one study cited, a tripling of wildfires since the 1990s had contributed to almost 100,000 deaths a year between 2010 and 2018.

One of the key findings said: “Particulate Matter PM2.5 is composed of microscopic particles and droplets of less than 2.5 micrometres (μm) in diameter, which is a health hazard because it can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. It is emitted by many different sources such as industrial activities, agriculture, residential heating and transport,  as well as wildfires and dust storms.”