Health effects of air pollution: evidence and implications: technical brief

Overview

Air pollution is the leading environmental health risk factor causing about 6.6 million deaths globally every year. Currently reported as Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 3.9.1 (mortality from air pollution), close to 84% of air pollution related deaths are from noncommunicable diseases. Children, pregnant women, older people, people living with chronic disease, and those living in the lowest socioeconomic groups are most at risk.

Health effects of air pollution – evidence and implications highlights the timeline of air pollution and health research building the foundation of the WHO air quality guidelines. The technical brief summarizes the current knowledge on the health effects of air pollution as well as emerging evidence of impact on respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, reproductive and metabolic systems, amongst others.

This document is part of the WHO Air Quality, Energy, and Health Science and Policy Summaries (SPS). These summaries provide concise overviews of current knowledge and evidence on air quality, energy access, climate change, and health. They aim to support decision-makers by presenting key insights from scientific research.

The SPS are developed through a multistakeholder consultation process that includes experts from WHO Advisory Groups – i.e., the Scientific Advisory Group on Air Pollution and Health (SAG), and the Global Air Pollution and Health – Technical Advisory Group (GAPH-TAG) – as well as specialists from WHO Collaborating Centres, UN agencies as well as other experts from academia and civil society.

All Science and Policy Summaries can be accessed here