Nearly 40% of Global Population Exposed to Dangerous Ozone Pollution in 2026: Report
The analysis links the rise to heatwaves, wildfires and human emissions, with Asia facing the highest exposure, CAMS said.
- On Wednesday, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Atmosphere Monitoring Service reported that record heatwaves and wildfires combined with human emissions to expose roughly 40% of the global population to extremely high ground-level ozone levels in 2026.
- Rising temperatures and sunlight react with emissions from wildfires and industry to create ozone, a greenhouse gas responsible for approximately 0.23°C of present-day warming according to the Clean Air Fund.
- Asia currently faces the highest exposure, with 53 percent of its population breathing 'extremely poor' air, while Oceania remains one of the cleanest regions, with 100% of its population experiencing 'good' and 'fair' ozone levels.
- Ozone pollution contributes to 60,000 premature deaths annually in Europe, Ian Marnane of the European Environment Agency told a media briefing, as health services face sustained pressure from ozone-related respiratory illnesses.
- While European Union regulations have successfully reduced other pollutants, ozone levels remain 'relatively unchanged' despite ambitious emission policies, prompting experts to urge improved monitoring to address climate-driven conditions offsetting broader control successes.
143 Articles
143 Articles
Paris. Heat waves and forest fires, combined with emissions of human origin, have exposed 34 percent of the world’s population this year to “extremely high” levels of ozone pollution, according to a report from the European Copernicus service.
Billions exposed to ozone pollution as heat and emissions combine
Almost 40% of the world’s population has been exposed to harmful levels of ground-level ozone so far this year, as extreme heat and air pollution combine to worsen air quality across much of the globe. The finding comes from a new analysis by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), which…
The fires of the summer of 2026 left their mark, even far from the areas concerned. In the wake of the megafires that set Europe and America ablaze
About 40% of the world's population was exposed during the first eight months of 2026 to harmful levels of tropospheric ozone, according to a new analysis by the Copernicus Atmospheric Surveillance Service (CAMS), which also showed how forest fire smoke, desert dust and other pollutants can move thousands of kilometres and affect communities far from their sources.
"Almost 40% of the world's population will be exposed to dangerous ozone pollution in 2026": Only 60% of the world's population breathes safe air
"Almost 40% of the world's population will be exposed to dangerous ozone pollution in 2026": Only 60% of the world's population breathes safe air. "The problem has particularly affected Asia, Europe and North America. Ground-level ozone is different...
50% of the population in Europe has been exposed to poor, very poor or extremely poor ozone levels
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