13 June

The lifespan of this earth is estimated by the geologists to be over five million years. Human beings have inhabited the earth since ancient times. At present, the population of 7.9 billion people has lived in the world, with their increase day by day. Industrial productions have speeded up to meet daily needs of an increasing population. Carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases emitted from these mills and factories have caused pollution of atmosphere in the world.

Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, meteorites hitting the earth’s surface and sandstorms tend to cause air pollution. Agricultural productions, slash-and-burn cultivations, coals used for energy and firewood used for fuels, carbon dioxide emissions from public transportation, smoke from factories and liquid fuels used in households cause air pollution. In addition, increasing population in the world makes commodity productions speed up in order to make air pollution worse and worse.

Ill effects by air pollution

Air pollution and climate change are closely related. Slash-and-burn agriculture, energy produced from coals, CO2 emissions from motor engines, mills and factories send unclean dusts and smoke into the atmosphere, making air polluted. Along with air pollution, the rise of temperature, extreme cold, drought, floods, storms and climatic phenomena follow. If the sky is misty, even sun lights cannot be seen. As long as the sky has been covered with smoke, air pollution creates successive global warming and climatic processes and changes. Serious consequences such as shrouding in mist, blowing of sandstorms, increasing cold and untimely rainfalls will follow. Besides, children and the elderly may suffer from difficulty in breathing, asthma, coughing, eyestrains and tear droppings.

Countries mostly affected by air pollution

Countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Afghanistan in South Asia are mostly affected by air pollution in the world. In addition, 20 cities in those countries have shown the highest rate in air pollution. People in those countries have suffered from windpipe problems because of air pollution. Suffice it to say that the research has shown one third of the death rate among several kinds od diseases is due to air pollution.

The death rate becomes higher

The research has found that as many as seven million people die yearly across the world; the highest rate happens to be in Asia. The rate is equivalent to that of smoking. People die just because they breathe in polluted air; the death rate is indeed found to be higher than that of alcoholics. People breathe in poisonous particles from the atmosphere, spreading them through lungs and blood vessels throughout their bodies. In addition, PM 2.5 tiny particles which cannot be seen with our naked eyes, could spread into brains, hearts and other parts of the body. These tiny particles could create lung and heart problems, asthma and even lead to cancerous tumours.

A decline in productions

Air pollution could cause not only a serious health hazard but also do a decline in production. Cities in Thailand, Indonesia, India and Bangladesh have closed down schools, mills and factories for the health of students and workers at the time of worst air pollution. Serious consequences could cause flight schedule cancellations due to being shrouded in the mist; cars are unable to get to their destinations in time because of foggy routes in towns.

Frailties of the earth

Human beings have indeed inhabited on the earth since ancient times. The ancients have sown seeds for rice paddies on the virgin lands; they have lived simply by killing wild animals for their foods such as meat and fish. As time went by, human knowledge , technology and motivations of greed have led to the extraction of more natural resources. By now, the earth has dried up a supply of its natural resources with it becoming gradually too frail to go on.

World Environment Day

That is why world leaders have fixed June 5, 1972 as the World Environment Day to celebrate every year to take care of the frail earth. 143 countries have started to celebrate the World Environment Day since 1974 to take up global pollutions, worse consequences of global warming and sustainable development of food productions and animal protections.

The theme for 2019 World Environment Day is “ Beat Air Pollution “. Protecting world environment is a good practice for the good of all mankind. The preservation of world environment can be carried out from individuals and groups up to the government level as sorts of national affairs. It is urgently needed to fight against air pollution which causes especially global warming and climatic conditions.

Fighting against air pollution

Most countries have sought ways and means to reduce the levels of environmental damages which keep threatening a massive loss of human life. For instance, reducing levels of greenhouse gases is being implemented in accordance with the Paris Agreement. But due to lack of full participation of respective countries , the levels of air pollution could not be reduced as expected. Indeed the aims of the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Developments intend to create environment-friendly climate and some fresh air.

In addition, the reduction of slash-and-burn cultivations, avoidance of setting fires to forests, reduction in energy produced from coals and firewood, no longer use of dilapidated cars which keep emitting carbon dioxide and air-cleaning technology should be fixed in mills and factories to reduce the levels of air pollution.

Trees play a vital role in preservation of world’s environment. They absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release oxygen which is essential for living things including men. If a man grows a tree well every year, it will do the people of the world good. If trees grow well, keeping free flow of water, clean atmosphere, green shady trees, reduction in global warming lead to coolness in summer and again reduction in greenhouse gases may lead to ecological balance for all living creatures. Planting trees will not only support the preservation of world’ clean atmosphere but also be beneficial for future generations.

Over felling of trees , overuse of disposable plastic, chemical wastes thrown into rivers, streams and lakes, air pollution, successive greenhouse gas emissions lead to urgent need for the prevention of world’ clean environment. It must be the duty of all humankind. Suffice it to say that air pollution which is threatening the world cannot be solved individually as well as by only one country. Same objectives and firm determination of the world leaders are urgently needed. World leaders actually abide by the agreement on reduction of emissions of CO2 and greenhouse gases, the air pollution will reduce to some extent. If each member of our community reduces as much as possible the slash-and-burn cultivations and use of firewood for energy, it is strongly believed that air pollution can be gradually eradicated.

Translated by Arakan Sein;