To put this in perspective, the study compares air pollution to other major health risks: Shaves 2.2 years off life expectancy. HIV/AIDS: Reduces it by 0.7 years. Violence and War: Account for a 0.3-year reduction. The Cardiovascular Connection

The Global Threat: Air Pollution Slashes Human Lifespan by Nearly Three Years

New research indicates that air pollution has become a "global pandemic," shortening the average human life expectancy by nearly . This impact is now considered more dangerous to public health than tobacco smoking, HIV/AIDS, and all forms of violence combined. A Hidden Public Health Crisis

The burden of air pollution is not distributed equally. Some regions face a much more severe loss of life than others: Residents lose an average of 3.9 years .

According to a landmark study published in Cardiovascular Research , air pollution led to an estimated globally in a single year. Researchers found that the toxic mix of gases and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) causes an average reduction of 2.9 years in life expectancy worldwide.

Air pollution cuts lives short by roughly 3.1 years . Europe: Lives are shortened by an average of 2.2 years . North America: People lose about 1.4 years on average. The Fossil Fuel Factor