Air quality monitoring → Air quality monitoring in low- and middle-income countries needs to be strengthened, especially in areas close to hospitals, schools, and workplaces. Low-cost sensors and other new technologies can expand air quality monitoring and forecasting to areas that are currently underserved. New protocols and standards are needed to guide the effective use and interpretation of data produced by low-cost sensors in citizen science and other applications.

Health sector emissions → Access to reliable and sustainable energy in healthcare facilities is essential to achieve the goal of universal health coverage. On-site renewable energy generation in healthcare facilities can improve access to healthcare services, especially in rural, developing world settings. In developed countries, hospitals are among the most energy-intensive buildings. By reducing its own carbon footprint, the health sector can show how climate change mitigation produces concrete health benefits.

Equipping national health workforces → National health workforces must be capable of dealing with the immediate impacts of air pollution on the health of populations, and to inform policymakers to undertake preventive action to reduce the air pollution-related disease burden. There are currently few training programmes on air pollution and its health effects, and little related information, in public health education.

Children’s health → Globally, 93% of children under 18 live with air pollution levels above WHO guidelines. Air pollution causes over half of all child deaths from acute lower respiratory infection in children under 5 years in lower middle income countries. Air pollution exposure is linked to a wide range of adverse health outcomes in children, including infant mortality, asthma, neurodevelopmental disorders, and childhood cancers. By “prescribing” clean air for children, policymakers can protect them from the lifelong effects of air pollution exposure.

Access to clean household energy → Clean household energy access must move higher on the global energy, health and climate agendas. Household air pollution is one of the world’s single biggest environmental health risk, and a significant source of climate-warming pollution. To achieve SDG 7 targets for universal access to modern energy, 3 billion people must gain access to clean cooking solutions, and 1 billion must gain access to electricity, by 2030. The current pace of progress mains too slow.

Climate change → Air pollution is the greatest environmental risk to health of our time, and climate change is the greatest public health threat of the 21st century. Burning fossil fuels is the primary source of both climate-warming emissions and health-damaging air pollution. Reducing emissions of short-lived climate pollutants can generate immediate benefits for health and slow climate change Actions to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and short-lived climate pollutants are also measures to protect public health now and in the future.

Noncommunicable diseases → Air pollution is the second leading cause of noncommunicable diseases, such as stroke, cancer and heart disease, which are on the rise worldwide. In many countries, such diseases can only be significantly reduced by improving air quality. Mainstreaming air pollution reduction into policies to combat noncommunicable diseases leads to multiple benefits for the environment, economy and health.

Outdoor workers → Outdoor workers, including agricultural, construction or waste collection workers, and traffic police, are particularly vulnerable to ambient air pollution; at least 1.2 billion people work outdoors most of the time. In addition to breathing polluted air, such workers are often exposed to other environmental risks, such as heat and cold, heavy rain, and wind as well as solar UV and allergenic pollens.