Annual Update

published: August 2025

Air pollution is the greatest external threat to human life expectancy on the planet. The AQLI’s latest 2023 data reveals that permanently reducing global PM₂.₅ air pollution to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline would add years onto average human life expectancy—or a combined 15.1 billion life years saved. The impact of PM₂.₅ on global life expectancy is comparable to that of smoking, more than 4 times that of high alcohol use, more than 5 times that of transport injuries like car crashes, and more than 6 times that of HIV/AIDS.