Air pollution indicators in Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) countries

Abstract

Over the past several decades, the amount of attention given to various countries' environmental impact has greatly increased. Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) have been drawing special attention due to the pollution emissions released into the atmosphere by their increasing number of industries and their exaggerated consumption of products. This article aims to elucidate and analyze the evolution of some of the atmospheric indicators of the BRIC group of countries, the amount of money each country invests in research and development of renewable energies, and the possible human health consequences of excess exposure to CO 2 . Secondary data on atmospheric indicators of the BRIC group of countries were obtained and critically analyzed. They were first tabulated in an Excel spreadsheet and then presented in tables and figures. Linear regression and the correlation between CO 2 and global warming for the next few years were also determined. The findings reveal that CO 2 emissions per capita as well as the kilograms in USD$ of the GDP of the countries showed an average increase of 15% in Brazil, Russia, and India. The average increase in China was 30%. China and Brazil are the countries that invest the most in research and development. It is concluded based on the forecasted predictions that if the surveyed countries adopt effective preventive measures, the CO 2 emissions and amount of air pollution could show a downward trend over time; on the other hand, if nothing is done to reverse this situation, the indexes may even exceed the forecasts.

Short-term air pollution exposure and hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory diseases in Brazil: A nationwide time-series study between 2008 and 2018

“…Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the major pollutant emitted by wildfires. About 12-16% of global wildfire-related particulate emissions occur across Brazil (Reddington et al, 2015); iii) Third, Brazil has a lack of control and monitoring policies leading to increased air pollution (Barcellos et al, 2009;Huneeus et al, 2020;Renata et al, 2015); and iv) Brazil also has a considerable difference in the quality of health/environment and healthcare across different populations (influencing health/environment equity in negative ways), which is a critical determinant of the health impacts of air pollution (Rappold et al 2012).…”

An integrated assessment of the impacts of PM2.5 and black carbon particles on the air quality of a large Brazilian city

“…In developing economies, the increase in incomes will first lead to a deterioration in air quality, but in later stages-with better environmental awareness and technologies-this relation can change. An analysis of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) suggests that for Brazil, despite having a comparatively high rate of renewable energy, more preventive actions and investments in renewable technology are needed to bend the air pollution curve downward (Klafke et al 2015).…”