Climate Change Reverses Decades of Air Quality Gains, Fires and Heatwaves to Blame

A new report indicates that air quality in the US could revert to mid-2000s levels by 2054, erasing years of progress due to climate change-driven wildfires and heatwaves.

Air quality in the US is projected to decline in the coming decades, with a significant increase in unhealthy air quality days due to climate change.
The primary drivers of worsening air quality are increased wildfires and heatwaves, which contribute to higher levels of fine particle pollution and ground-level ozone.
Nearly 14.3 million properties in the US already experience a week or more of unhealthy air quality days annually, a number expected to rise by 1.7 million.
Federal efforts to improve air quality since the 1960s are being undermined by the adverse effects of climate change, highlighting the need for updated regulatory approaches.
The health impacts of declining air quality include increased respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, affecting vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.