Reducing global air pollution levels to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines would boost average life expectancy by 2.2 years, a new study has found.

The average person is exposed to more than three times the air pollution deemed acceptable by the WHO — driving average life expectancy down from 74 to 72 years old, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), compiled by researchers at the University of Chicago.

With universal changes in behavior to meet WHO standards, however, global citizens could collectively add 17 billion life-years to the planet’s population, researchers found.

The authors maintained that these figures were an opportunity, rather than a sign of doom, after witnessing the dramatic improvements implemented by one country in particular — China.

“The improvements that China was able to bring about in such a short period of time: six or seven years or so,” Kenneth Lee, the director of the AQLI, told The Hill. “Whereas, it took decades for the U.S. to make those changes.”

“That really speaks to China’s singular ability to address major environmental issues, as long as they see the importance of it,” added Lee, who is a senior research associate at the University of Chicago’s Department of Economics.

WHO Air Quality Guidelines indicate that levels of PM 2.5 — fine particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers — should be below 10 micrograms per cubic meter. The average global citizen, however, is exposed to concentrations of 32 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the study.

Continue Reading at The Hill…