Air quality in Brazil is deteriorating, costing the nation $1 billion annually due to health impacts. São Paulo’s recent pollution crisis highlights the urgency of addressing this issue. Experts advocate for improved monitoring, investment in indoor air quality, and legislative frameworks to protect citizens’ rights to clean air.
In September 2024, São Paulo experienced significant air quality issues, gaining notoriety as the world’s most polluted city according to IQ Air. This alarming situation was driven by rural fires in Sao Paulo state, which generated substantial smoke that impacted the city and surrounding areas. During this period, 156,000 flames were recorded nationwide, leading to a brief red sky spectacle but eventually subsiding with summer rains.
Experts emphasize the critical need for investment in air quality enhancements, particularly within buildings. They underline the adverse effects of poor air quality on public health, which ultimately affects productivity. “Considering only abnormal temperatures… Brazil’s losses due to poor air quality are $1 billion annually. When the harmful effects of pollution are included, this figure could triple to $3 billion,” highlights Paulo Saldiva, a leading expert from the University of São Paulo.
Saldiva connects air pollution to respiratory issues and cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organization reports that air pollution results in approximately 7 million premature deaths worldwide each year, with over 50,000 occurring in Brazil. The situation is exacerbated by climate change, which leads to severe weather patterns fostering forest fires and diseases such as mold.
Henrique Cury, CEO of EcoQuest, points out that convincing businesses of the benefits of air quality improvement remains a challenge. He emphasizes that addressing air quality significantly reduces absenteeism and illness among employees. “Climate disasters are always related to air quality in some way,” he states, reflecting on heightened awareness post-pandemic and following environmental disasters.
Recent initiatives have laid frameworks for enhancing air quality in Brazil, such as Law 14850/2024, which delineates atmospheric pollutants and mandates emission inventories to track pollution sources. Yet, David Tsai from IEMA notes that many states lack adequate monitoring infrastructure. “Few states even bother to monitor air quality. It’s a general lack of knowledge,” he critiques.
Brazil has only 245 air quality monitoring stations, far short of U.S. and EU standards. Major metropolitan areas, such as Brasília and Goiânia, lack complete monitoring systems, compromising effective public policy implementation. There is a need for more stations to create accurate air quality indexes to inform public health strategies.
Senator Mara Gabrilli has proposed PEC 7/2021 to enshrine the right to air quality in Brazil’s Federal Constitution, motivated by the effects of COVID-19. “The quality of the air we breathe directly impacts our health and survival,” she asserts. Gabrilli believes that this constitutional amendment will drive improvements in public health policy relating to air quality.
Brazil faces significant air quality challenges, exacerbated by climate change, leading to substantial public health costs. Experts and authorities are advocating for urgent investments in air quality monitoring and improvements to mitigate these impacts. Legislative efforts like the National Air Quality Policy and proposed constitutional amendments aim to reinforce the rights to clean air, emphasizing the necessity for action among stakeholders.
Original Source: valorinternational.globo.com
