Hava Kirliliği, Solunum Hastalıkları ve İklim Politikaları

The Earth’s atmosphere distinguishes the planet from other celestial bodies by enabling the emergence and diversification of life, rendering it the only known habitable planet in the universe. However, air pollution, which has become uncontrolled due to natural and anthropogenic influences since the industrial revolution, has become a life-threatening environmental problem. Air pollution contributes to numerous health problems and fatalities, particularly affecting the respiratory system. Vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, infants and children, the elderly, individuals with chronic diseases, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, are disproportionately impacted. Moreover, climate change further complicates the relationship between air pollution and respiratory health, exacerbating and, in some cases, altering health outcomes. In recent years, national governments and international organizations have increasingly strengthened their cooperation, research, and implementation efforts regarding environmental and climate-related issues, driven by scientific advancements. Comprehensive international agreements, in particular, have facilitated the coordination and synchronization of environmental and climate policies worldwide, leading to the adoption of significant measures aimed at protecting public health. Nevertheless, several challenges persist in the formulation and implementation of these policies. Notably, discrepancies among countries exist in determining which air pollutants should serve as indicators and in establishing limit values for these indicators. A further and more fundamental challenge lies in the fact that environmental and climate policies have not yet been fully developed in alignment with the “One Health” principle. Most existing policies maintain an anthropocentric orientation—prioritizing human interests— while neglecting the biocentric reality that human existence depends on other living organisms, and the ecocentric understanding that non-living components also play essential roles within ecosystems. Consequently, environmental and climate policies should be reformulated in accordance with the “One Health” principle, adopting biocentric and ecocentric perspectives to ensure a more holistic and sustainable approach.