The World Bank plays a critical role in addressing air pollution through its investments, technical assistance, and policy advocacy. With a focus on low- and middle-income countries, it aims to mitigate the devastating health, economic, and environmental impacts of air pollution while promoting sustainable development.
Its Pollution Management and Environmental Health (PMEH) Program promotes systematic responses to air pollution in developing countries. This multi-donor trust fund supports efforts to reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and other harmful pollutants by improving air quality monitoring networks, developing emissions inventories, and implementing evidence-based policies. The World Bank has also been instrumental in providing financial guarantees to de-risk air quality projects through its Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
In South Asia, the World Bank has emphasized regional cooperation to address shared environmental issues. In Southeast Asia, for example, it has supported efforts to establish stringent ambient air quality standards in Lao PDR and improve regulatory frameworks for sampling and analyzing pollutants.
Beyond individual projects, the World Bank integrates air quality management into its broader environmental strategy. This strategy emphasizes the co-benefits of addressing air pollution alongside climate change mitigation efforts. For instance, many World Bank projects simultaneously target greenhouse gas reductions and improvements in local air quality by promoting renewable energy adoption, cleaner transportation systems, and sustainable urban planning.
