Effects of urbanization and industrialization on air quality

Air pollution, a significant global challenge, hinders economic growth, exacerbates poverty and inequality, poses risks to human health, and contributes to climate change. This issue is frequently observed in densely populated urban areas, primarily because of lower atmospheric diffusion capability and the accumulation of air pollutants. Industrialization-based urbanization transforms the social, economic, and environmental aspects of areas or regions undergoing urbanization, rendering the areas more vulnerable to environmental pollution, especially atmospheric or air pollution. Specifically, this chapter examines the urban-industrial air pollution in three different geographical areas (i.e., countries): China, the United Kingdom, and Thailand. China and Thailand are in the growth phase of economic development, as opposed to the United Kingdom, which is in the industrialization maturity period. The chapter also discusses the environmental, social, and economic challenges of urban-industrial air pollution. Moreover, this chapter proposes mitigation strategies to tackle urban-industrial atmospheric pollution.