Air Quality Life Index
Description
The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) converts air pollution concentrations into their impact on life expectancy. Through the AQLI’s hyper-local data, users anywhere on Earth can zoom into their district and see how much longer they would live if policies were to reduce pollution to meet the World Health Organization’s guideline, a national standard, or a user-defined target. This information can help inform local communities and policymakers about the benefits of air pollution policies in perhaps the most important measure that exists: longer lives.
Questions this resource can help answer
- What is the recent level of PM2.5 concentrations in my county?
- How many estimated life years are lost due to these concentrations?
How do I use this resource?
Quantify the estimated change in life years from recent levels of air pollution in the US by county
Resource information
Technical specifications
The AQLI estimates the relationship between air pollution and life expectancy. It does so by leveraging results from a pair of studies set in China. The results of the studies are combined with global population and PM₂.₅ data, as well as knowledge about air quality guidelines to estimate how much life expectancy could potentially be gained if air quality met the World Health Organization’s guideline, a national standard, or a customized standard
