The State of Global Air 2025 report offers a worrying look at how the planet’s air quality is declining. It reveals that pollution has now become the second biggest cause of premature deaths worldwide, coming just after high blood pressure. The report, prepared by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) in partnership with the University of Washington’s School of Medicine and the NCD Alliance in Geneva, draws attention to the sharp increase in pollution-linked diseases. One of the most alarming findings is the growing connection between toxic air and dementia. This has raised a key question among people, can long-term exposure to polluted air actually trigger dementia? Here’s what experts and data reveal.Rising Air Pollution in DelhiOver the past several days, Delhi and its neighbouring cities have been trapped under a thick layer of smog, with air quality swinging between “poor” and “very poor.” The situation worsened sharply after Diwali, when fireworks filled the air with dense smoke. Reports noted that this was Delhi’s worst post-Diwali air quality in four years.Every winter, the city faces this predictable yet avoidable crisis. Dr Arjun Khanna, pulmonologist at Amrita Hospital, told us that his phone has been “ringing non-stop” since the Diwali weekend. “We are seeing a surge in patients with breathing difficulties and sore throats,” he said. “This year’s winter is expected to be harsher, which will make the air quality even worse. The volume of firecrackers has been overwhelming, the smog is already visible, and the weather feels heavy and dull.”He warned that the coming weeks will be particularly tough for Delhi-NCR residents and urged people to take precautions seriously.Is Long-Term Air Pollution Contributing to Dementia?Air pollution is no longer limited to the lungs or heart as now, it is also being tied to neurological decline. According to the State of Global Air 2025 report, 626,000 deaths related to dementia in 2023 were linked to long-term exposure to air pollution. That means nearly 29% of all dementia deaths globally had an environmental cause. For the first time, the report also measured how much healthy life pollution costs humanity, 11.6 million years lost due to its contribution to dementia.With more than one in four dementia deaths connected to polluted air, the report underlines a growing risk for ageing populations worldwide. Fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, harms not just the respiratory and cardiovascular systems but also the brain.How Does Air Pollution Damage The Brain?The report explains that microscopic pollutants can travel from the lungs into the bloodstream and eventually reach the brain. Once there, these particles trigger inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to damage in brain cells and tissues. This accelerates neurodegeneration and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and mild cognitive impairment, all conditions marked by memory loss and reduced thinking ability.Researchers also found that air pollution can disrupt brain development in children and young adults, increasing the risk of autism, anxiety, and depression later in life.While lifestyle factors such as smoking or poor diet remain major contributors to dementia, experts warn that pollution exposure is far more widespread affecting billions of people. Even a small rise in individual risk, therefore, results in a major global health burden.Air Pollution’s Link to Other Non-Communicable DiseasesThe data from the report also reveal that pollution drives a wide range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs):1 in 2 deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were caused by air pollution.1 in 4 heart disease deaths were linked to exposure to polluted air.More than 1 in 4 dementia deaths were tied to pollution.Nearly 1 in 6 diabetes deaths were caused by poor air quality.Overall, 95% of all air pollution deaths occurred among people over the age of 60, and 6.8 million deaths were due to NCDs.India’s Struggle Against Toxic AirIndia’s Supreme Court recently relaxed its blanket ban on firecrackers in New Delhi during Diwali, allowing limited use of “green crackers” which is a cleaner alternative designed to cut emissions by about 30%. The court permitted their use during specific hours, but as in past years, compliance was poor.New Delhi and its wider metropolitan area is home to over 30 million people but still these cities remain among the most polluted regions on Earth, particularly during the winter. The combination of Diwali fireworks, low temperatures, and smoke from crop burning in nearby states consistently traps the city under layers of toxic haze.Authorities have announced temporary measures such as restricting construction, banning diesel generators, and limiting vehicle movement. However, environmentalists stress that these are short-term fixes. Long-lasting change, they argue, requires cleaner energy policies, stricter emission standards, and greater public accountability to prevent this annual health emergency.
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