Air quality
The air we breathe contains emissions from motor vehicles, industry, heating and commercial sources, as well as tobacco smoke and household fuels. Air pollution harms human health, particularly in those already vulnerable because of their age or existing health problems.
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A new international day to celebrate clean air – and a sustainable recovery from COVID-19
The first ever International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on 7 September 2020 gives us an opportunity to celebrate the importance of clean air – something that is so fundamental to us all for our health and well-being.
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- Designing cities for health: how to change urban environments for the better?
- A new international day to celebrate clean air – and a sustainable recovery from COVID-19
Tools for health impact assessment of air quality: the AirQ+ software
Estimating how many diseases or deaths are caused by air pollution in a given population is the starting point to develop or adjust policies and measures that protect people's health. AirQ+ calculates the magnitude of several health effects associated to exposure to the most significant air pollutants.
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WHO air quality guidelines
The WHO air quality guidelines for outdoor air pollution represent the most widely accepted and up-to-date assessment of health effects of air pollution, recommending targets for air quality at which health risks are significantly reduced.
Air quality guidelines. Global update 2005. Particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxideIn countries
Health effects of particulate matter. Policy implications for countries in eastern Europe, Caucasus and central Asia
Air pollution
- Health effects of black carbon
- Health risks of ozone from long-range transboundary air pollution
- Health risks of heavy metals from long-range transboundary air pollution
- Health aspects of long-range transboundary air pollution
Data and statistics
One year of life expectancy is lost for every person in the WHO European Region due to exposure to particulate matter (PM). This is mostly due to the increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and lung cancer.
More informationKey policy resources
Parma DeclarationFifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma, Italy, 2010
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