Global air pollution deaths among children 2021, by contributor

Almost 2,000 children worldwide die every day from air pollution. Of the estimated eight million total global deaths from air pollution in 2021, around nine percent, or 709,000, were in children under the age of five. Of this total, 500,000 were linked to exposure to household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels. There were also 16,000 deaths among children five to 14 years of age due to poor air quality.

One reason why children are highly susceptible to the effects of air pollution is that they breathe at a faster rate than adults, meaning they inhale more air per kilogram of body weight. Another factor is that children's organs and immune systems are still developing, so their bodies do not yet have the same defense mechanisms as adults.