Abstract

Air pollution has become one of the main environmental problem in cities at national and international level due to its negative effects on health and the environment. Air pollution, public health and climate change mitigation have been directly related to transport and the accelerated growth of the industrial sector. Air pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) are called criteria air pollutants due to harm the health and the environment. Human exposure to environmental contaminants increases the risk of chronic diseases, especially cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory diseases. In the Colombian Andean region, higher risk factors have been detected due to growth of the vehicle fleet, and therefore increase disease load. This study reveals a high impact of transport on human health and the environment in intermediate cities in developing countries such as Colombia.

Keywords: Climate change; Public health; Air pollution; Urban transport