How can we use AI to fight air pollution?

Air pollution is still a problem almost everywhere, so researchers investigate using AI to fight air pollution. Although other environmental topics such as global warming, loss of biodiversity, soil degradation and unsustainable use of freshwater resources have become more prominent in recent years, air pollution has remained an issue which deserves our attention and action. According to the World Health Organisation, between 3 and 8 million people die prematurely every year, because the air they breathe frequently contains harmful substances which may affect the respiratory system, lead to inflammatory diseases or impact the human immune system. Despite several regulations that aim to reduce emissions of air pollutants and put limits on the levels of ambient air pollutant concentrations, measurements across Europe still regularly exhibit concentration levels beyond the threshold values that are deemed safe for human health and food production. Other world regions face even larger problems; sometimes the pollution in the megacities of Southern and Eastern Asia, Africa and South America is so severe that it is almost impossible for people to go about their work or navigate through the streets.