UN expert on environment and human rights David Boyd has said, over six billion people, one-third of them children, are regularly inhaling air so polluted that it puts their life, health and well-being at risk. He said, air pollution is a silent killer responsible for the premature death of seven million people each year, including 600,000 children.<br />''<br />''The UN expert told the Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday that despite its gravity this pandemic receives inadequate attention as these deaths are not as dramatic as those caused by other disasters or epidemics. He said every hour, 800 people are dying, many after years of suffering, from cancer, respiratory illnesses or heart disease directly caused by breathing polluted air.<br />''<br />''Mr Boyd said that failing to ensure clean air constituted a violation of their fundamental right to a healthy environment, a right that is legally recognised by 155 countries and should be globally recognised. He said, air pollutants are everywhere, largely caused by burning fossil fuels for electricity, transportation, and heating, as well as from industrial activities, poor waste management and agricultural practices.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">He identified seven key steps that countries must take to ensure clean air and fulfil the right to a healthy environment. These include monitoring air quality and impacts on human health, assessing sources of air pollution; and making information publicly available, including public health advisories.</span><br />