Explore the data
Air pollution: Breathing clean air
Below you'll find some charts that are used in the Air pollution: Breathing clean air chapter of Not the End of the World. Many of these charts are interactive so that you can explore this data over different periods, and for most countries in the world.
First, I'll list some best data sources that I used when writing this chapter, and go back to for the most recent updates. They're some of the core datasets that we use on Our World in Data. This is not an exhaustive list – there are lots of others doing great work in this area. In particular, these are data sources that update over time, so they're not static or specific to a single year. That means you can track progress in the future.
Where to go to explore more:
Explore the Data
Here are some interactive versions of charts used in the book. I've also left some notes on the underlying data source, where you can explore the methodology and related metrics.
If you are using any of this data or the charts, please make sure to credit the underlying source (not me).
Ozone layer
The charts below show the decline in emissions of ozone-depleting gases, and the growth – then stabilisation – of the size of the ozone hole.
Source: The data sources are the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and NASA Ozone Watch.
Explore more on this topic at Our World in Data.
Acid rain
The chart below shows the emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) – the main driver of acid rain. It's shown as emissions per person, so you can compare different countries. But you can see the same trends, not adjusted for population, here.
You can add different countries using the buttons at the top.
Source: The data source is the Community Emissions Data System (CEDS).
Explore more on this topic at Our World in Data.
Long-term emissions of air pollutants
The chart below shows the emissions of a range of local air pollutants – most of which are damaging to human health.
You can add different countries using the buttons at the top.
Source: The data source is the Community Emissions Data System (CEDS).
Explore more on this topic at Our World in Data.
Death rates from air pollution
The chart below shows death rates from air pollution, measured as the number of premature deaths related to air pollution per 100,000 people.
You can see changes over time by clicking on any country.
Source: The data source is the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
Explore more on this topic at Our World in Data.