Singapore: Pollution Man-made emissions and other sources such as forest fires have been linked to about 135 million Untimely deaths Between 1980 and 2020, around the world, University of Singapore said on Monday.

According to the Singapore Meteorological Department, weather events such as El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole have worsened the impact by increasing the concentration of these pollutants in the air. Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said while revealing the results of a study conducted by its researchers.

Tiny particles called particulate matter 2.5 or “PM2.5” are harmful to human health when inhaled, as they are small enough to enter the bloodstream. They come from vehicle and industrial emissions as well as natural sources such as fires and dust storms.

Fine particulate matter was “associated with around 135 million premature deaths globally” from 1980 to 2020, the university said in a statement on the study published in the journal Environment International.

It found that people were dying at ages shorter than average life expectancy from diseases or conditions that could have been treated or prevented, including stroke, heart and lung disease, and cancer.

The study found that weather caused a 14 percent increase in mortality.

Asia suffered the most premature deaths from PM2.5 pollution, with more than 98 million deaths, most of them in China and India, the university said.

Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Japan also had large numbers of premature deaths, numbering between 2 and 5 million, it said.

The study is the most comprehensive look at air quality and climate to date, using 40 years of data to paint a comprehensive picture of the effects of particulate matter on health.

“Our findings suggest that changes in climate patterns could make air pollution worse,” said Associate Professor Steve Yim from NTU’s Asian School of Environment, who led the study.

“When certain climate events such as El Niño occur, pollution levels may increase, which means more people may die prematurely due to PM2.5 pollution,” Yim said.

“This highlights the need to understand and take these climate patterns into account when tackling air pollution to protect the health of the global population.”

The Singaporean researchers studied US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) satellite data on levels of particulate matter in the Earth’s atmosphere.

He analysed data on deaths due to pollution-related diseases. US-based institutions For health metrics and assessment, Independent Research Center,

Information on weather patterns during this period was taken from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Yim said the study focused only on the effects of general weather patterns on air pollution, and the effects of climate change will be the subject of future study.

The study also involved researchers from universities in Hong Kong, Britain and China.

The World Health Organization states that “the combined effects of Ambient air pollution And Household air pollution” There are 6.7 million premature deaths worldwide each year.