The State of Global Air, a new report and interactive website launched by the Health Effects Institute and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, provides a comprehensive, yet succinct, source of trusted information on the levels of and trends in global air pollution, its sources, and its impact on public health.

Among other findings, the report shows that over 90% of the world’s population live in areas where fine particle levels exceed global air quality guidelines, and that India has surpassed China in the unenviable position of having the world’s deadliest air quality, causing 1.1 million premature deaths each year. It also highlights earlier findings, such as that coal-burning — by industry, by power plants, and for domestic heating — was the most important contributor to ambient air pollution in China in 2013.

The latest findings underscore the need for urgent, concerted action to tackle air pollution, as espoused in a joint statement recently issued by Indian health leaders, coordinated by Health Care Without Harm’s Indian partner, the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

In response to the State of Global Air report, Bhargav Krishna of PHFI commented on the need for government leadership in the New York Times’ coverage of the report:

Pollution levels are worsening in India as it tries to industrialize, but “the idea that policy making should be led by government is lacking,” Bhargav Krishna, manager for environmental health at the Public Health Foundation of India, a health policy research center in New Delhi, said in an interview.

Learn more about the State of Global Air at www.stateofglobalair.org.