A report by Unicef and Réseau Action Climat, published on October 14, reveals that more than three in four children breathe polluted air. The most affected would be young people in precarious situations. A double penalty.
The situation is alarming. In France, the most precarious children, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, are more vulnerable to air pollution. This is what reveals a studytarget = “_ blank”> from Unicef and Réseau Action Climat, released on October 14th. According to their research, “more than three in four children breathe polluted air“. And for good reason, because of their young age and their “physiological specificities” they are more fragile in the face of external aggressions. By breathing polluted air, they can contract various pathologies such as asthma or allergies. But not all young people are exposed to pollution in the same way. The poverty is a risk factor.
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Double penalty for children in precarious situations
Poor children, living in unfavorable living conditions in cities near a major road axis, suffer more from air pollution. Indeed, road traffic is one of the main sources of pollution. Furthermore, “socio-economically disadvantaged areas would have fewer green spaces, parks, playgrounds and leisure activities (…) these multiple exposures have direct consequences on the vulnerability of children “, specify the organizations. This environmental inequality can affect their state of health but also their development.
“In Paris, for example, the poorest inhabitants are three times more likely to die from an episode of serious pollution than the richest inhabitants.”, reveals the report. Over 40,000 people die each year from fine particle pollution.
For Jordi Soret, Public Authority Relations Officer at UNICEF France, these children are victims of a double sentence.