Questão de Língua Inglesa

– Questões de 13 a 17 Air Pollution and Human Health Air pollution is one of the major environmental risks to human health. According to the World Health Organization, pollutants such as fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide can enter the respiratory system and affect different organs. Exposure to polluted air is associated with respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, stroke, lung cancer, and premature mortality. Although air pollution affects people in both urban and rural areas, its burden is not distributed equally. Populations in low- and middle-income countries often experience higher levels of exposure, while children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with pre-existing health conditions may be especially vulnerable. The problem is also connected to social inequality, since poorer communities frequently have fewer resources to reduce exposure or access adequate healthcare. Most sources of outdoor air pollution are beyond the control of individuals. Transport systems, industrial activities, energy production, waste management, agriculture, and urban planning all influence air quality. For this reason, reducing air pollution requires coordinated public policies rather than only individual behavioral changes. Página 8 Improving air quality can protect health and also contribute to climate action, since many sources of air pollution are linked to the burning of fossil fuels. In this sense, policies that reduce pollution may produce a double benefit: lowering the burden of disease and supporting more sustainable environments. Adapted from: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). Ambient (outdoor) air pollution. Geneva: WHO, 2024. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and- health. Accessed on: July 1, 2026.