Premature mortality and years of life lost attributable to ambient air pollution in Israel, compared to Europe: analysis and implications

Abstract Exposure to air pollution is considered the most significant environmental risk factor to human health. Updates in epidemiological studies in recent years provided the scientific evidence for the World Health Organization (WHO)’s air quality guidelines in 2021, allowing an update to the quantitative calculation of premature death (PD) from air pollution. This study examines the impact of air pollution on public health in Israel, focusing on PD and years of life lost (YLL) associated with exposure to PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) and compares them to findings from 41 European countries. Applying the latest WHO air quality guidelines and incorporating census tract level demographic with age and gender separation, the study reveals the significant burden of air pollution in Israel. Between 2015 and 2023, a total of 4,461–6,166 PD per year are calculated from ambient exposure to the three pollutants, and the number of YLL ranges between 46,216 − 65,289 per year. PD and YLL are higher for males compared to females for most age groups except for 85 and over and infants under 1 year. An increase in PD and YLL is seen with age, except for infants under 1 year having the highest YLL. Israel experiences lower rates of PD and YLL compared to European nations with similar pollutant concentrations. This difference is largely attributed to Israel’s younger population. The findings underscore the importance of continued air quality improvements to protect public health in Israel. Graphical abstract