Catherine Hausman, associate professor at the Ford School, asserts that air pollution in low-income countries is one major symptom of environmental inequality. In a BBC article, she is quoted and highlights that air pollution will be a long-term problem for those communities, as sources of particulate matter pollution emerge every year, including from newly-built coal-fired power plants and outbreaks of wildfires. "I don't see this problem going away any time soon," said Hausman.
She also described how air pollution directly impacts nations’ economic growth because lack of clean air reduces productivity. "I see this as a key issue for governments worldwide to be tackling," said Hausman.
Hausman emphasized that governments need to better inform people about high levels of pollution and what protective measures they can take to combat it. "In many parts of the world, the air pollution monitoring network is inadequate, so people just don't know how bad pollution is in their neighborhoods," noted Hausman. "And even when they have a monitor nearby, households might not be aware of the full range of health damages that they could be experiencing. So people don't always take adequate measures to protect themselves."
Read the full article: “Why clean air is a luxury that many can't afford”
