Asian people to breathe in clean air by 2030 if 25 simple, cost-effective measures taken, says UN report.

ISLAMABAD -- The severe air pollution in the Asia and Pacific region with South Asia attracting the most media news bulletins as 92 percent of Asia and Pacific's population are exposed to hazardous level of air pollution jeopardizing their health.

The recent report, which is a collaboration between the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment or UNEP), the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP), and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) said that was launched at the World Health Organization (WHO)'s first Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health.

'Millions of lives could be saved and one billion people living in Asia could be breath in clean air by 2030 if 25 simple and cost-effective measures were implemented,' the new UN report said.

The report added that at present around 4 billion people - 92 percent of Asia and the Pacific's population - were exposed to levels of air pollution that pose a significant risk to their health.

The report said air pollution and climate change were basically linked, since air pollutants impact the climate and were often co-emitted with greenhouse gases.

Monsoon rains were considered to be the main source of water for arable land in India and Pakistan. The unpredictable nature of the monsoon could cause extensive financial losses, the destruction of farmland and damage to livelihoods and property due to increasing air pollution, it added.

'Increasing air pollution levels over these monsoon regions can alter long-term rainfall patterns. The presence of PM2.5 in the atmosphere may affect precipitation patterns...