Michael Brauer

The findings reveal that long-term exposure to even the lowest levels of fine particulate matter — microscopic air pollutants from sources like wildfires and fossil fuel emissions — poses a significant health risk.

Even low levels of air pollution contribute to increased health risk

Levels of air pollution well below national and international air quality guidelines are associated with an increased risk of death, according to a new Canada-wide study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia.

Jul 14, 2022

UBC experts on heat wave

UBC experts are available to comment on B.C.’s current heat wave.

Jun 22, 2021

New global air pollution and health impact study the most comprehensive ever

An international research team co-led by UBC’s Dr. Michael Brauer has published the most detailed analysis ever conducted on global air pollution sources and their health impacts, covering 204 countries and territories.

Jun 14, 2021

Webinar: Global projections of potential lives saved from COVID-19 from using face masks

Most health authorities recommend wearing non-medical face masks in crowded spaces where physical distancing is not possible to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Sep 11, 2020

Vancouver study shows air pollution linked to possibility of autism

The Province reported on a study from SFU and UBC that found air pollution may be linked to increased likelihood of autism. UBC professor Michael Brauer from the school of […]

Nov 23, 2018

Ride hailing in B.C. is opportunity to ensure new transportation solutions support health and mobility of all

An op-ed written by Michael Brauer, a professor at UBC’s faculty of medicine, and Meghan Winters from SFU, appeared in Star Vancouver. They write about how ride-hailing services could be […]

Nov 23, 2018

Consumer behaviour causing premature deaths from air pollution

A UBC researcher is drawing attention to the human cost of our consumer behaviour by examining the number of deaths caused by air pollution from manufacturing goods.

Mar 29, 2017

UBC experts on cold weather

UBC experts are available to comment on various aspects of cold weather.

Dec 5, 2016

Poor air quality kills 5.5 million worldwide annually

New research shows that more than 5.5 million people die prematurely every year due to household and outdoor air pollution. More than half of deaths occur in two of the world’s fastest growing economies, China and India.

Feb 12, 2016

Green neighbourhoods lead to higher birth weights: study

Mothers who live in neighbourhoods with plenty of green space are more likely to deliver babies at full term with higher birth weights, says new research from UBC and Oregon State University.

Sep 4, 2014

Air pollution and asthma

Michael Brauer of UBC’s School of Population and Public Health on the link between air pollution, genes and asthma.

Jan 30, 2014

Heavy traffic is taking our breath away

If you thought traffic-related air pollution is only a problem in places like Los Angeles or Beijing – and not in Canadian cities – think again, says UBC’s Michael Brauer.

Oct 18, 2013 - by Michael Brauer

As climate change increases forest fires, smoke forecasting could help protect public health: UBC research

Satellite images, air quality measurements and smoke forecasting models are useful tools to help individuals and public health professionals prepare for smoke episodes in areas at risk from forest fire smoke, according to University of British Columbia researcher Michael Brauer.

Feb 18, 2012

Energy poverty creating a respiratory disease 'epidemic' for almost half the world’s population

Limited access to clean sources of energy, known as energy poverty, makes nearly half the world’s population reliant on burning wood, animal waste, coal or charcoal to cook. This leads to severe respiratory diseases that kill roughly two million people worldwide each year, a problem University of British Columbia researchers are trying to solve.

Feb 16, 2012