This Indian surgeon wants to show us the effects of air pollution on human health, so leaders start treating air pollution as a medical emergency. The effects of air pollution can have an impact from birth and can damage more than just the lungs. It can lead to problems, including memory loss and high blood pressure. As well as causing respiratory illnesses such as asthma and pneumonia, it’s also causing the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers to rise rapidly. Here are more surprising effects of air pollution on human health and why it must be tackled as an emergency.