Heatwaves, wildfires expose a third of world to extreme ozone pollution

Heatwaves and wildfires combined with human-caused emissions this year to expose one third of the world's population to extremely high levels of ozone pollution, a European Union report said on Wednesday. In a new analysis covering the first eight months of 2026, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) highlighted the close relationship between climate change and air pollution. When heat and sunlight react with airborne emissions from wildfires, vehicles and industry, they create ground-level ozone pollution, which can damage lung tissue, cause breathing problems, trigger asthma attacks and lead to other health issues. Despite progress in cutting the most harmful air pollutants in recent decades, ozone has proved more difficult to tackle as climate change fuels the conditions that favour its formation. Read moreFrance puts out massive fire that torched 42,000 hectares and smouldered for 69 days This year's ozone pollution was driven in part by record-breaking heatwaves and wildfires that seared Europe and North America and sent smoke well beyond their borders. Indonesia has experienced major wildfires, while the warming El Nino weather pattern, ...