The World Health Organization (WHO) plays a crucial role in addressing air pollution by providing global guidance, supporting policy development, and advocating for improved air quality. WHO’s work is centered on reducing the health impacts of air pollution, which is a major environmental health risk. The actions are organized into three cross-cutting areas: knowledge, evidence and measuring progress; institutional capacity building and technical support; and leadership and coordination.

Based on global synthesis of scientific evidence on the effects of air pollutants on health, WHO sets recommended limits for health–harmful concentrations of key air pollutants, both outdoors and inside buildings and homes which are published through various guidelines. WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQG offer normative guidance on threshold limits for key air pollutants that pose health risks such as particulate matter (PM), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). WHO’s updated guidelines (2021 update) provide quantitative, health-based recommendations for air quality management, serving as a critical tool for governments to establish targets and policies that protect public health by reducing exposure to harmful pollutants. The guidelines inform development and revision of national air quality standards and tools.

WHO publishes a global database of Air Quality Standards which compiles national air quality standards for criteria pollutants and other airborne toxics from countries worldwide.

Air pollution data portal: WHO monitors the exposure levels and health impacts of air pollution at the national, regional and global level from ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution. Such estimates are used for official reporting like the world health statistics, and the Sustainable Development Goals. WHO provides technical support to Member States in the development and implementation of effective air quality management strategies, advocating that health considerations are integrated into other sectors policies and interventions.

WHO also supports initiatives such as BreatheLife, a global campaign that encourages cities, regions and countries to share best practices and to meet WHO air quality standards by 2030 and collaborates with other UN agencies and international organizations.  As follow up to the WHO 2nd Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, WHO is calling on governments, cities, institutions, and organizations to step up and commit to action: a 50% reduction in the health impacts of air pollution by 2040 using 2015 as a baseline. This is a global voluntary target, and every effort counts. Sign and join the Pledge of Action. WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region (ACE) leads WHO’s work on climate, environment, and health across the Western Pacific’s 38 Member States and areas. Air quality and health is one of the priority areas of work. ACE provides secretariat function to the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Health and Environment jointly with UNEP and WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, including its Thematic Working Group on Air Quality ad Health.

For more information visit: Air quality, energy and health and WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region.

Air Quality Strategy (2025–2030)

WHO will support the Member States in setting national standards and policies aligned with WHO health-based recommendations and implementing the Updated Road map for an enhanced global response to the adverse health effects of air pollution adopted at the 78th session of the World Health Assembly (2025). The Road Map set a time-bound voluntary target: countries to achieve a 50% reduction in the population-attributable mortality from anthropogenic sources of air pollution by 2040, compared to 2015 baseline values. The health sector actions are focused on four main categories: provide knowledge and evidence related to the health impacts of air pollution, policy effectiveness and climate change synergies; measuring progress by monitoring and reporting on health impacts associated with air pollution and its sources and in particular monitoring progress toward Sustainable Development Goals targets 3.9, 7.1 and 11.6; institutional capacity strengthening for effective engagement with other sectors and stakeholders to reduce emissions and embedding air pollution control actions into NCD prevention services and guidance to patients; and health sector leadership in enhancing global response to air pollution and integrate health considerations into policies and programmes all levels.