Author: Jim McQuaid, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Composition, University of Leeds

Air pollution is an unseen menace that poses a major threat to human health and the climate. We have created the air quality stripes, a visual tool that captures global air pollution trends, to bring this hidden threat into sharp focus. Inspired by professor of climate science Ed Hawkins’ climate warming stripes, the air quality stripes depict particulate matter (PM) concentrations in 176 cities worldwide since 1850. These tiny particles, often smaller than one-30th of the width of a human hair, can penetrate deep into the lungs, posing serious health risks. By making air pollution more visible, the stripes provide…