Saving Lives Must Be Prioritized: Updated WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines Must Transform Data into Action for All

“The World Health Organization’s update of the global Air Quality Guidelines is an important step forward. Based on the best available science on the health impacts of air pollution, these guidelines represent a vital opportunity for national and local governments to save millions of lives by updating their air quality health standards and decision-making on clean air and public health policies.

“Compared to previous WHO guidelines, some of the updated air quality values are significantly more stringent. For example, the level of annual concentrations for respirable particles PM2.5 was reduced from 10 micrograms to 5 micrograms; also, the annual average concentration for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was dropped from 40 micrograms to 10 micrograms.

“Air pollution is a moral issue that impairs the fundamental human right to breathe clean air and substantially contributes to climate change. The new guidelines should foster a common goal to expand efforts and resources consistent with the magnitude of the challenge, to help the most disadvantaged communities who most suffer the severe impacts of air pollution.

“The lethal toll from air pollution on human health has more than tripled since the 2005 Air Quality Guidelines Global Update was published. Today, air pollution is estimated to cut short the lives of over 6 million people globally every year. And these impacts are not equally distributed with vulnerable communities around the world bearing a heavy burden. 

“In addition to the pain and suffering, poor air quality causes an enormous economic cost.  In recent updates, the World Bank has estimated the annual health costs of PM2.5 pollution in US$8.1 trillion.”