Скачать или смотреть When Pollution Turns Extreme: Spatio-Temporal Risk Analysis

Spatio-temporal analysis of extreme air pollution and risk assessment

Authors: Kuldeep Singh Rautela, Manish Kumar Goyal

Extreme air pollution is a growing global threat to human health, ecosystems, and economic stability. This video presents a spatio-temporal assessment of extreme air pollution and risk using a newly developed global PM₂.₅ database (1980–2023) derived from surface mass concentrations of key aerosol species—black carbon, organic carbon, dust, sea salt, and sulphates. The dataset is rigorously validated against observations from 526 cities worldwide, demonstrating strong predictive skill.
The analysis introduces twelve novel extreme pollution indices to quantify short- and long-term trends, intensity, frequency, and risk. Results reveal persistent and severe pollution hotspots, particularly in North Africa, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, eastern China, and parts of the Middle East, with several cities in low- and middle-income countries facing extreme risk levels. In contrast, much of Europe and North America show lower risks due to effective air-quality policies. The findings highlight the urgent need for phased, region-specific interventions, combining affordable monitoring, targeted mitigation, urban greening, and strong policy frameworks to reduce pollution and protect public health.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123807