Health and air pollution co-benefits of climate change mitigation

The World Health Organization (WHO) publication “Health and Air Quality Co-Benefits of Climate Change Mitigation” (2025) examines how climate change mitigation strategies can simultaneously deliver major health and air quality benefits. The brief is part of the Air Quality, Energy and Health – Science and Policy Summaries (SPS) series and highlights the interconnected nature of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollutants. It argues that actions designed to cut GHG emissions—such as reducing fossil fuel combustion, improving energy efficiency, and transitioning to cleaner energy sources—can also lower emissions of harmful air pollutants like particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and black carbon. These reductions lead to fewer premature deaths, lower disease burdens, and significant economic savings. The document identifies that people in Asia and Africa stand to benefit most from ambitious mitigation actions due to high pollution exposure and population density. It reviews modelling studies and tools such as WHO’s CLIMAQ-H, CaRBonH, and Pathways-AQ, which help quantify avoided mortality and economic gains from integrated mitigation–air quality policies. Case studies highlight concrete examples: in Pakistan, achieving conditional NDC targets could avoid 65,000 annual deaths from ambient air pollution by 2030; in Quezon City, Philippines, Pathways-AQ modelling projects prevention of nearly 400 premature deaths by 2050 through decarbonization and cleaner transport systems; and in China, evidence from collaborative research shows the benefits of reducing short-lived climate pollutants. The brief emphasizes the need for incorporating health co-benefits into nationally determined contributions (NDCs), noting that 47 countries now include short-lived climate pollutants in their plans, up from two pre-2020. The report discusses the importance of integrating climate and air quality planning, strengthening institutional capacities, and monetizing health co-benefits to inform decision-making. It cites global findings that health-related savings can match or exceed the costs of mitigation, with examples showing returns of US$8–430 in avoided health costs per tonne of CO₂ reduced. The health sector is encouraged to adopt low-carbon practices, advocate for health-inclusive climate policies, and communicate the tangible health advantages of mitigation measures. The publication concludes that realizing these co-benefits requires multilateral cooperation, cross-sectoral data integration, and targeted investments in capacity building, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. By reframing mitigation not only as an environmental but also as a public health strategy, WHO calls for policy frameworks that simultaneously improve climate resilience, economic efficiency, and health equity. Asia features prominently as a region of both vulnerability and opportunity, demonstrating that rapid, coordinated action can yield measurable, near-term health and economic gains while contributing to long-term global climate goals.