Air Pollution Kills 6.5 Million People Every Year, And It Could Get Worse Unless We Act Now

Exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution is linked to the premature deaths of about 6.5 million people every year, according to new International Energy Agency cautionary report this week. That makes it the fourth-largest threat to human health after high blood pressure, dietary risks and smoking.

And the number of deaths attributed to poor air quality is set to only rise in the coming decades, said the Paris-based energy security group -- unless swift international action is taken to tackle this crisis.