Health community calls for urgent action for clean air ahead of WHO conference

Ahead of the Second World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in March 2025, the global health community is making an urgent call to action for clean air.
The community is urging Governments, business leaders and policy-makers, to act swiftly to stop air pollution and save lives.
A WHO news release noted that air pollution is responsible for at least 7 million deaths each year, contributing to a growing global health crisis, with the vast majority of deaths caused by non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular issues, respiratory diseases and lung cancer.
“Air pollution is a silent killer. On a global scale, air pollution trends remain largely unchanged in the last 10 years, impacting our health at each breath we take,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, at the World Health Organisation.
She urged leaders to make “bold commitments”, and called on the health community to “continue advocating to protect our future.”
According to WHO, the good news is that air pollution deaths are preventable.
Health and care workers, patients, health advocates and civil society organisations are demanding bold, decisive actions from world leaders. Clean air is a human right and critical to the health and well-being of everyone.
The release noted that global health cost associated with exposure to air pollution is estimated at US$ 8.1 trillion in 2019.
It added that the world is paying for the health consequences of air pollution, yet less than 1 per cent of global development aid is dedicated to action to improve air quality in low- and middle-income countries, home to the most vulnerable populations.
“Breathing clean air is undeniably essential for everyone to live, and essential for the right to a healthy environment,” said Astrid Puentes Riaño, UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a healthy environment.
“Therefore, Governments and businesses must take pending urgent action to implement effective measures to guaranteeing it.”
Citing that now is the time to tackle this crisis, the WHO posited that investing in cleaner air is not only a moral health imperative but also a sound economic strategy to reduce health-care costs, boost productivity and drive sustainable development while mitigating climate change.
According to the release, key actions the health community would like to see from world leaders and stakeholders, in order to safeguard public health and ensure clean air for all, include Governments enforcing strict air quality standards, reduce emissions at the source, and align with WHO’s global air quality guidelines.
The call to action also demands that Governments and businesses transition away from fossil fuels fairly and equitably, ensuring the clean energy transition is inclusive and accessible to all.
It also demands that leaders enhance monitoring systems and institutional capacity to effectively address air quality challenges, and increase funding, both domestic and international, to elevate clean air as a priority on global and national agendas.
It also advocated for the creation and support of interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral workforce development; awareness-raising and training initiatives that empower communities and stakeholders to tackle air pollution effectively.
The WHO added that the health community will continue to advocate for these urgent measures, emphasising that clean air is not a luxury but a necessity for public health and well-being. The time to act is now, and we cannot afford to wait any longer, it declared.
WHO’s Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, taking place in Cartagena, Colombia, 25–27 March 2025, will bring together global leaders, experts and advocates to discuss and advance solutions to the air pollution crisis.
It suggests that decision makers from countries, cities, private sector and donours, take bold and immediate action to secure clean air for all.
The Conference, the WHO release concluded, presents a key opportunity for Governments and other stakeholders to commit to transformative actions that will protect public health and the environment for generations to come.
In 2024, Guyana ranked 28th out of 180 countries on the Global Environmental Performance Index (EPI) for its air quality.