To adapt or not to adapt? SDGS keys in adaptation to air pollution
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly the entire global population (99%) breathes air that exceeds WHO standards and contains major pollutants, with the greatest exposure occurring in low- and middle-income nations. To achieve sustainable global development, intensive measures to decrease exposure to environmental contamination will be required. Despite criticism that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) had too many targets and were not prioritised, air pollution was deemphasised in the SDGs. Consequently, the status of air pollution within the SDGs is ambiguous. The SDGs do not contain a primary aim related to air pollution. Three objectives directly mention air pollution: health (SDG3), clean energy (SDG7), and cities (SDG11); however, these goals also address other concerns. Therefore, air pollution is mentioned directly in one relevant purpose and indirectly in another.