Air Quality Life Index - June 2022

The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) developed by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) is an index that measures particulate air pollution by a very significant metric: its effect on life expectancy. The 2022 annual update of the index was released on June 14, 2022. It was authored by Michael Greenstone, Christa Hasenkopf and Ken Lee, researchers associated with EPIC.The index uses recent studies linking long-term exposure to air pollution and reduced life expectancy as the foundation for its calculations. It illustrates the impact of PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or smaller) pollution on human lives and states that an average human being loses 2.2 years of life expectancy due to exposure to particulate pollution. The index also highlights regions that can make the largest gains in life expectancy by improving air quality. This 30-page document is divided into seven sections: Global Pollution Remained Flat Despite Pandemic Lockdowns, Underscoring the Health Threat (Section 1); South Asia Remains the World’s Pollution Hotspot (Section 2); Air Pollution is a Major Burden in Southeast Asia (Section 3); Central and West Africa is a Growing Pollution Hotbed (Section 4); With a Stronger Health Benchmark, Most Latin Americans are Breathing Polluted Air (Section 5); China’s War Against Pollution Continues Successfully (Section 6); and A Stronger Health Benchmark Uncovers Pollution Gaps in the United States and Europe (Section 7).