STORY: Research reveals main contributors to air pollution-related deaths in European cities
DATELINE: July 4, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:25
LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of vehicle traffic and pedestrians in the center of Barcelona, Spain
2. various of homes and domestic activities
3. various of agricultural activities
4. various of atmospheric pollution
5. various of car and truck traffic in the city, pedestrians, domestic activities and agricultural areas

STORYLINE:

A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) shows that traffic, domestic activities and agriculture are the main contributors to air pollution-related deaths in European cities.

The results of this research, which have been published in The Lancet Public Health, were based on data from 857 European cities.

The research found that in terms of air pollution, traffic remains the main contributor to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), while the residential and agricultural sectors are making a growing contribution to particulate matter (PM2.5).

Across the cities studied, traffic accounted for 48.5 percent of deaths related to NO2, which with prolonged exposure can damage the respiratory tract and increase the likelihood of respiratory infections and chronic lung disease.

As for PM2.5, fine particles can accumulate in the respiratory system and are linked with respiratory diseases and decreased lung function. The study found that fine particle emissions from residential sources accounted for 22.7 percent of deaths, with agriculture accounting for 18 percent.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Barcelona, Spain.
(XHTV)