International Day of Clean Air for blue skies

7 September marks the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Unfortunately, a vicious circle of climate change, wildfires and air pollution has had major impacts on health, ecosystems and agriculture, reports the WMO

Although a human right, clean air is still denied to 99% of the world’s population. Ahead of #WorldCleanAirDay, Mrs. Aandersen Inger calls for urgent global action to tackle air pollution, set strong standards, and invest in solutions for #CleanAirNow.

While the world is gearing up for the summit of the future and the climate COP 29 to find solutions to global crises, another problem related to the planet we all share is often overlooked: air pollution. On International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, celebrated on 7 September every year, we need to speak up for clean air. 

Air pollution has an enormous burden on public health, ecosystems, climate, and ultimately, the economy.  Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that a staggering 7 million deaths are caused by air pollution every single year.  

More than 40 years on, the cooperation among Parties to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention) has led to remarkable results:  significant emissions reductions (by 50-80% since 1990 in the Pan-European region and North America),  1 additional year of life expectancy, and 600,000 lives saved annually. Tackling some pollutants that are bad for air and climate at the same time, the Convention has also supported integrated approaches for clean air and climate action.  

However, there are many more challenges still to be tackled to reduce air pollution in the region. A report in 2022 on the effectiveness of the Convention’s most recent protocol, the Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone or Gothenburg Protocol, showed that while emission reductions have been achieved, damage to human health, ecosystems and materials remains. Therefore, in 2023, Parties decided in a ground-breaking decision to revise the Gothenburg Protocol, which is expected to further strengthen efforts to reduce air pollution in the region. 

Clean air is a life and money saver 

The latest research on the cost of inaction on air pollution under the Convention has shown the importance of investing in clean air policies. The report shows that business as usual is not an option as it is up to 25 times more expensive than additional clean air policies. While the average cost of an optimal air pollution strategy is estimated to be 0.01–0.02 per cent of GDP, the current monetary damage cost to health, ecosystems and the economy due to ambient air pollution corresponds to over 5 per cent of GDP in nearly half (26) of 56 countries of the Pan-European region and North America. In at least 6 countries, the damage is more than 10 per cent of GDP. The largest part of the damage cost consists of reduced life expectancy, followed by morbidity costs (e.g., hospital admittance, sick leave, medicine costs), and damage to ecosystems. 

This means that greater action on cleaner air pays off by saving lives and money. The revision of the Gothenburg Protocol is expected to deliver further concrete action to protect ecosystems and human health from air pollution and incentivize Governments in the region to further invest in clean air policies. It’s time to invest in #CleanAirNow. 

About the Air Convention  

Air pollution is the biggest external cause of ill-health and premature deaths.

The International Day of Clean Air for blue skies is a yearly reminder that the world must urgently tackle air quality.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Clean Air seeks to support governments, business and civil society in creating solutions to the global air quality crisis.

Air pollution is a killer. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says it blights the lives and health of billions of people. Children and elderly people are disproportionately affected by poor air quality.

Microscopic particles (known as PM2.5) are the biggest danger to human health, according to research by Chicago University. The study says their impact on life expectancy “is comparable to that of smoking, more than 4 times that of high alcohol use, more than 5 times that of transport injuries like car crashes, and more than 6 times that of HIV/AIDS”.

UNEP insists only action on a global scale can solve the air pollution crisis, which is why the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies is marked each year.

What is the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies?

The United Nations General Assembly designated 7 September as the day to raise awareness and drive action on combating air pollution. That’s the goal of the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, which was inaugurated in 2020.

This year’s theme of “Together for Clean Air” focuses on the need for stronger partnerships, increased investment and shared responsibility to overcome air pollution. Given the transboundary nature of air pollution, all stakeholders have a responsibility to protect the earth’s atmosphere and ensure healthy air for everyone. Working together, across borders and boundaries, between sectors and beyond silos, will help reduce air pollution, leverage finance and investments towards air quality measures and solutions, and provide many benefits. This International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, we call upon everyone, from governments and corporations to civil society and individuals to come together to overcome air pollution.

To support the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies in 2024, UNEP calls on Member States, businesses, organizations, cities, civil society and others to:

• Organize activities that raise awareness, promote highimpact solutions and foster partnerships.

• Register your events that highlight clean air initiatives.

• Spread the word and inspire others by sharing how you are taking action for clean air, using the hashtags #CleanAirNow and #WorldCleanAirDay.

• Celebrate leaders tackling air pollution by sharing their stories with UNEP.

• Showcase successful initiatives that are inspiring action worldwide.

• Visit the campaign website to access resources and the latest updates.

• Check out our current partners, and reach out if you are interested in becoming a funding partner.

• Announce new initiatives for clean air.

• Invite others in your networks to join the campaign.

Our first contact with the world. What we inhale 12 times a minute. It keeps us alive or poisons us.

99% of us breathe polluted air. We can't take it anymore.

Air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk of our time. It also exacerbates climate change, causes economic losses, and reduces agricultural productivity.

The Global conference on air pollution and health: accelerating action for clean air, clean energy access and climate mitigation will highlight policy solutions for air pollution and lack of energy access and catalyse evidence-based, multi-sectoral actions in cities, countries and regions.

Key objectives of the conference include:

Share the latest evidence on health risks of air pollution and energy poverty, assessment tools and resources for decision-making.

Take stock of global progress since 2015 after the WHA resolution was passed and the start of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Showcase health, climate, gender and equity co-benefits of air pollution and energy action. 

Mobilize, value and empower health professionals to ‘prescribe’ clean air for health.

Iterate strategies to mitigate the health sector’s environmental footprint.

Harness climate and development finance to tackle air pollution and ensure a just energy transition.

Leverage health arguments to drive country cooperation and financial commitments.

Countries, regions and cities join BreatheLife and commit to air pollution reductions by 2030 and beyond.

Participants include Ministers of Health, respective Ministers of Environment, Energy and officials of national, intergovernmental and development agencies; health professionals; mayors, local authorities and planners; representatives of critical sectors such as energy, transport, industry, waste and land-use; as well as delegates from research, academia and civil society. Attendance to this conference is by invitation only.

Concept Note

The combined effects of ambient and household air pollution cause approximately 7 million deaths each year. 99% of the world's population breathes air that exceeds the WHO Guidelines, according to this Organization's data. It is low- and middle-income countries that face exposure to the highest concentrations. The Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health will be, in this context, a great opportunity to present the region's progress in the initiative to eliminate the use of polluting fuels in homes and in the actions developed to address air pollution as a risk factor for non-communicable diseases.

The event, which includes pre- and post-conference sessions on March 24 and 28, will bring together ministers of health, environment and energy, as well as officials from national, intergovernmental and development agencies. The Second Conference aims to highlight solutions needed to reduce ambient air pollution and lack of access to clean household energy, strengthen policy and technical cooperation among stakeholders, as well as help catalyze evidence-based, multi-sectoral actions in cities, countries and regions aimed at preventing disease, saving lives, improving public health, boosting sustainable economic development and mitigating climate change.

Colombia, as a co-host country of the Conference, is also one of the regional leaders for air pollution response. In 2023, the country hosted the first AirQ+ regional expert group meeting and is advancing a broad application of the tool in the country.

367,000 deaths per year from air pollution in the Americas

Air pollution is one of the main environmental risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and exposure to these pollutants can weaken the immune system, making people more susceptible to communicable diseases. It has been shown, for example, that exposure to household air pollution causes noncommunicable diseases such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. In addition, the use of biomass for cooking and exposure to fumes and particulate matter is associated with respiratory infections and inadequate living conditions, which exacerbate the burden of disease from noncommunicable diseases in the region.

In the Americas, 367,000 deaths are caused by air pollution each year, and there is growing evidence linking ambient and household air pollution to various health problems.

PAHO's response to this problem is strong: it is necessary to reduce inequities and the burden of disease attributable to air pollution. To this end, the elimination initiative includes the elimination of biomass for cooking as one of the environmental health risk factors. Thus, PAHO's Departments of Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity and Noncommunicable Diseases are joining efforts to reduce exposure to air pollution as one of the risk factors for noncommunicable diseases.

Both PAHO departments, together with the country offices, lead the development of integrated roadmaps on air quality, mitigation of short-lived climate pollutants and health at the national and local levels. In addition, PAHO has worked in coordination with the countries in the development or adjustment of air quality and health regulations; in the implementation of health impact assessment tools, such as BARHAP and AirQ+, with example exercises such as those carried out in Quito and Barranquilla; and in capacity building through the region's AirQ+ Expert Group, among other actions.

PAHO calls on the entire community of the Americas to actively collaborate in promoting solutions to improve air quality and to join this global effort to protect the health and well-being of our communities. Everyone's participation is essential to achieve cleaner and healthier air for future generations.

The Global conference on air pollution and health: Accelerating action for clean air, clean energy access and climate change mitigation will highlight evidence-based, coordinated multi-sectoral solutions in cities, countries and regions to prevent communicable and noncommunicable disease, save lives, protect child health and limit climate change across the world.

Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health

WHO's work on air quality, energy and health

Air pollution is one of the main risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. In the WHO European Region, tackling air pollution is a regional priority to improve health. Reducing the emissions of certain pollutants has also double benefits for health, since it helps to mitigate climate change.

At its annual meeting, the Joint Convention/WHO Task Force on the Health Aspects of Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution will gather representatives from Parties to the Convention, experts and stakeholders for sharing information and updates.

As recognized in the Declaration of the Seventh Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, the Task Force will play an important role in supporting the implementation of Conference commitments on air quality, climate change and health, by providing a platform to exchange knowledge and information.

The agenda covers international policies and processes for air quality and health, WHO tools for health risk assessment of air pollution (AirQ+ and CLIMAQ-H), progress in research on air quality and health, and relevant experiences in Member States. Other agenda items will address air pollution, climate change and health, and communicating on air quality and health.

Presentations will include updates on the ongoing revision of the European Union Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, information about the Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in 2025 and the contribution of the Task Force to the regional Science and Policy Snapshots, and the use of behavioural and cultural insights for environment and health. Participants will also review current activities of the Task Force workplan for 2024–2025 and discuss the next steps for implementation.

Joint Task Force on Health Aspects of Air Pollution 22 – 23 May 2024  Bonn, Germany

Opening Ceremony & Plenary-Panel Discussion.

The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2024 will take place from 21 to 23 February 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya on the margins of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly.

The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2024 will take place from 21 to 23 February 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya on the margins of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly.

“All life depends on natural resources, and responsible mining of those resources is a powerful enabler of human progress. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent the world's plan of action for social inclusion, environmental sustainability and economic development, and responsible mining is a key lever for achieving each of those goals. In particular, the goals of the Paris Agreement depend on a massive increase in the use of low-carbon technologies, and the essential minerals that enable them. But production of these materials is not without its own carbon footprint — the largest element of which is Scope 3 emissions.

“Scope 3 is inherently complex, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors. Rather than be an excuse for inaction, we see it as our opportunity to be the catalyst for global collective action for the industry, alongside governments and communities around our operations, towards meeting the SDGs.”