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Polluted air cuts global life expectancy by two years

13 Sept 16:00 Key points summarised by AI

Microscopic air pollution, predominantly from burning fossil fuels, shortens global life expectancy by over two years, with South Asia experiencing an average reduction of five years.
PM2.5 pollution, a classified cancer-causing agent, penetrates deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing severe lung and heart diseases with an impact comparable to smoking tobacco.
Almost all populated regions worldwide exceed WHO air quality guidelines, particularly in Asia, though China made significant progress by reducing PM2.5 pollution by 40% between 2013 and 2020, adding two years to its citizens' life expectancy.

Today 14:58 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's government will launch the "Chainat-Pasak-Gulf" water diversion canal project in fiscal year 2027, a seven-year mega-infrastructure initiative.
This permanent structural solution aims to mitigate recurrent central plains flooding by diverting water from the Chao Phraya River directly into the Gulf of Thailand, significantly reducing flow to major cities like Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul justifies the long-term investment as a means to reduce future damages and fiscal burdens, contrasting it with the 40-50 billion baht spent annually on short-term flood relief.
Concurrently, the Prime Minister instructed officials to expand drainage capacity into the Tha Chin River and swiftly remove water hyacinths to improve immediate flood management.