What does clean air action look like? And who are the changemakers driving impact on #AirPollution across the globe? 

Watch inspiring clean air heroes tell their stories of creating change for #CleanAirNow on #WorldCleanAirDay 🌍💨👇https://t.co/78BhoSoAUX pic.twitter.com/0IOVTDBljK

— Clean Air Fund (@CleanAirFund) September 6, 2024

NEW: Our 2024 #AQLIReport finds #AirPollution is reducing the avg person’s life expectancy by 1.9 yrs—or a combined 14.9B life-yrs lost worldwide—relative to the @WHO guideline.

Most countries fail to set or meet their own standards for clean air. https://t.co/ekYgHY9559 🧵1/11 pic.twitter.com/cFInMSLgec

— Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) (@UChiAir) August 28, 2024

Air pollution damage starts in the womb and can have health effects that last a lifetime. Inhaled air pollutants can be deposited into the lungs, where they can alter lung defences. 

This infographic released as part of the State of Global Air 2024 report, shows how children are uniquely vulnerable to air pollution, and damage can start in the womb with health effects that can last a lifetime.

Air pollution from fossil fuels is a public health emergency. It silently impacts millions every day, exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular problems.

This International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, join the Greenpeace Breathe Easy movement by sharing photos of what clean air means to you. Raise awareness and advocate for cleaner air and healthier lives. 

UNEP and the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) are raising awareness of the critical impact of super pollutants on air pollution and global warming. This initiative encourages government decision-makers, philanthropic funders, and the public to explore the connection between air pollution and climate issues through the work of the CCAC Partnership and the 'Invest in #CleanAirNow' campaign."

See the interactive

"Ninety-nine per cent of humanity breathes polluted air – leading to an estimated 8 million premature deaths – including more than 700,000 children under five.

Pollution is also choking economies and heating up our planet, adding fuel to the fire of the climate crisis. And it disproportionally affects those most vulnerable in society, including women, children, and older persons.

Yet pollution is a silent killer that can be stopped."

--UN Secretary General António Guterres

Full message

Ahead of this year’s International Day of Clean Air and blue skies, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) has developed and launched an Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx) designed to help air quality professionals everywhere tackle air pollution. The platform is a one-stop-shop that provides the latest air quality management guidance and tools proposed to meet WHO Air Quality Guidelines interim targets.

Read the full press release.
 

Ahead of the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on 7 September, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen calls for immediate international efforts to combat air pollution, enforce stricter regulations, and invest in sustainable solutions for a healthier air for all.