Harmful air is claiming the lives of our children; parents should advocate for renewable energy sources

In the world's most polluted capital, Delhi, more than 1 million children suffer from asthma and airflow obstructions, according to a 2021 study. Shockingly, particulate matter from vehicle exhaust pipes has been found in the lungs, livers, and hearts of foetuses in the city.

This grim reality has sparked a global movement of parents demanding clean, renewable energy to protect their children. In Delhi, the story is particularly poignant as nearly one in three schoolchildren has asthma and airflow obstructions.

Globally, air pollution contributes to the deaths of nearly 2,000 children under five every day and 7 million people per year, including 2 million in India. The Indian government is taking action, planning to implement multiple measures to reduce air pollution levels in Delhi and other cities.

These measures include promoting renewable energy with a target of 500 GW capacity by 2030 to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, improving weather forecasting to better manage renewable energy supply-demand balance, and encouraging the use of air purifiers, N95 masks, and staying indoors on high pollution days. Efforts also focus on reducing emissions from vehicles, industries, and waste management to lower particulate matter concentrations and harmful gases.

The WHO's conference this week on air pollution in Cartagena, Colombia, aims to bring together government representatives, health professionals, academics, and mothers, including the author, to discuss solutions for better air quality. Parents have been participating in protests in cities such as New York, Warsaw, Quito, Cape Town, London, Mexico City, Delhi, and elsewhere, demanding clean air and clean energy for their children.

The Our Kids' Climate network has brought together determined mothers from various locations for discussions on better air quality. The network recognises that children cannot choose the air they breathe, and it is the responsibility of parents to fight for them regarding air pollution.

Parents are increasingly recognising the harmful effects of fossil fuels on their children's health. Ninety percent of children worldwide live with air pollution that exceeds the levels deemed liveable by the World Health Organization (WHO). The story discusses topics like carbon and climate, cities, energy, activism, emissions, fossil fuels, governance, healthcare, diseases, urbanization, decarbonization, air pollution, energy transition, and the SDGs 3, 7, 10, 11, 13, 16, and 17.

This story was published with permission from Thomson Reuters Foundation, focusing on humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking, and property rights. The author, a mother of twin daughters who are athletic junior basketball players, shares a personal connection to the issue as her daughters' lungs are similar to those of lifetime smokers due to growing up in Delhi.

The fight for clean air and renewable energy is a global one, affecting regions like India, South Asia, and the world at large. It is a battle that parents are determined to win for the sake of their children's health and future.

Harmful air is claiming the lives of our children; parents should advocate for renewable energy sources