Australia has been on fire for more than a month, but the flames are hardly the only impact. Smoke from Australia’s bush fires engulfed Sydney in a smoke on Tuesday, creating the most toxic air on the planet.
The leading cause of death worldwide isn’t an infectious disease or cancer. It’s air pollution. And despite our best efforts to control it, smog is still increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, posing a health risk to over 80 per cent of all city dwellers.
Beijing issued its first-ever red alert on Monday. The radical measure means that half the cars in the capital must stay off the streets, outdoor construction must stop, and schools must close. The pollution is simply too dangerous.