Editorial: Air pollution as a risk factor affecting human health and economic costs

Abstract

Editorial on the Research Topic Air pollution as a risk factor affecting human health and economic costsThis Research Topic focuses on the critical topic of air quality and its impact on public health, sustainable development, and economic growth. Air pollution is a significant global challenge, considered by the World Health Organization as a top environmental health risk. The Global Burden disease estimates that air pollution caused 6.7 million premature deaths worldwide (Fuller et al., 2022), ultimately leading to economic loss (World Bank, 2022). The 17 articles included in this Research Topic provide valuable insights into the inter disciplinary aspects of air pollution, offering innovative research, methodologies, and findings that contribute to the scientific understanding of this complex issue.Air quality is of utmost importance as it directly influences human health, standards of living, healthcare costs, and the economies of nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) (Ambient outdoor air pollution, 2024) has recognized the detrimental effects of air pollution on public health, leading to millions of premature deaths each year (Babatola, 2018;Fuller et al., 2022;McDuffie et al., 2021). More specifically, air pollution has been linked to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and has a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly (Yin et al., 2021). Therefore, understanding the sources and impacts of air pollution is crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate its effects and improve public health and wellbeing (McDuffie et al., 2021;Reis et al., 2022). They have also been proven to be one of the potential causes of reduced intelligence and accelerated aging, as they promote neurodegenerative conditions (Zhang et al., 2018).The 17 articles in this Research Topic cover a wide range of topics related to air quality, including the assessment of air pollution across European countries, the economic growth and pollutant emissions, the comparative risk assessment of behavioral, environmental, and occupational risks for various countries, and the spatial effects of economic growth, energy consumption, and environmental pollution in the provinces of China. Additionally, the articles explore the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development, the evaluation of life-integrated bioelectrochemical-constructed wetland systems, and the