A report released Wednesday reveals that nearly 2,000 children die every day from health issues related to air pollution, now the second largest risk factor for early death worldwide.A report released Wednesday reveals that nearly 2,000 children die every day from health issues related to air pollution, now the second largest risk factor for early death worldwideThe report found that over 700,000 children under the age of five died due to air pollution in 2021. More than 500,000 of these deaths were linked to indoor cooking with dirty fuels such as coal, wood, or dung, predominantly in Africa and Asia.

“These are solvable problems,” said Pallavi Pant, HEI’s head of global health. The report also found that nearly everyone worldwide breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution daily.

Over 90 percent of the deaths were associated with PM2.5 pollutants, tiny particles that can cause lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other health issues.