ISTANBUL — On February 6, 2025, UNICEF reported that air pollution is responsible for the deaths of 100 children under the age of five every day in East Asia and the Pacific.

This environmental crisis disproportionately impacts the region’s youngest population, with air quality deteriorating most severely during the dry season, from now through April. Air pollution is linked to nearly one in four child deaths in the region.

June Kunugi, UNICEF’s regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, emphasized the long-term harm caused by air pollution to children’s growth, lungs, and cognitive development, undermining their potential. The report highlights that approximately 500 million children across the region live in areas with dangerously high levels of pollution, with household pollution—caused by solid fuels for cooking and heating—contributing to over half of the deaths.

In addition, 325 million children are exposed to cancer-causing microparticles (PM2.5), while 373 million children are exposed to unhealthy levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and 453 million live in areas with ozone pollution above recommended levels.

UNICEF calls for urgent action from governments, businesses, and the health sector. Governments must enhance environmental policies and transition to clean energy. Businesses should adopt cleaner technologies and reduce emissions. The health sector is urged to focus on better detection and treatment, while parents and educators are encouraged to raise awareness and advocate for cleaner environments.

In response, UNICEF urges a united, multi-sectoral effort to combat the air pollution crisis for the future of children in East Asia and the Pacific. (Anadolu)

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BANGKOK — Thai authorities here closed over 350 schools in Bangkok on Friday in response to hazardous air quality, local media reported.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced the closure of all 352 schools, switching to online classes as PM2.5 levels reached 108 micrograms per cubic meter—well above safe limits.

Bangkok is currently the fourth most polluted city in the world, according to Swiss-based monitor IQAir. This marks the largest school closure since 2020, when all 437 schools were shut down due to pollution.

Local officials have urged residents to stay indoors, work from home, and limit the entry of heavy vehicles into the city.

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