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Air pollution: The silent killer

Whether you live in a city or rural area, you might be part of the 90% of the world’s population who breathe in toxic air.The Evidence looks at solutions to control air pollution.

Do you live in the city or a rural area? In a wealthy country or a low income country? Wherever you live, you might be part of the 90% of the world’s population who breathe in toxic air on a daily basis.

In The Evidence, Claudia Hammond discusses the impact of air pollution on our health, and asks how climate change and air pollution are intertwined. Will the same policies that could halt or at least mitigate the impact of rising temperatures also tackle the levels of pollution we breathe in?

It's thought that as many as 9 million people die each year as a result of breathing toxic air. The particles from fires, cars, trucks and factories can affect every part of your body.

So what can be done about this truly global issue? With a live audience at the Wellcome Collection and some of the world’s top researchers in this field - Professor Frank Kelly, Dr Sara De Matteis and Dr Kofi Amegah - we’ll be looking at the problem and the solutions. Can we as individuals make a difference, or do governments need to step in?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Geraldine Fitzgerald

(Photo: Tower Bridge viewed from the Tower of London emerging through London's smog on a day of record pollution, 15 March, 2012
Credit: In Pictures Ltd/Corbis/Getty Images)

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Sun 23 Feb 2020 12:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 22 Feb 2020 19:06GMT
  • Sat 22 Feb 2020 20:06GMT
  • Sun 23 Feb 2020 12:06GMT