New York [US], September 8: Tackling air pollution and climate change together can save millions of lives, reduce global warming and generate roughly $15 in economic benefits for every $1 spent, a new UN-backed report has revealed.
The assessment by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) shows how coordinated action can improve public health, strengthen economies and accelerate progress on climate goals through 25 proven measures and policy reforms. These include using renewable energy, electric vehicles and clean fuel sources for cooking.
It comes as the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) also underlined the importance of coordinated action as increased pollution from wildfires and heatwaves threatens to undermine global efforts to improve air quality.
The report finds that combining efforts produces higher returns than addressing climate change and air pollution separately, because many of the same sectors and pollutants drive both crises.
"For too long, we have treated climate action as a cost to be managed and air pollution as the unfortunate outcome of development," said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.
"This report shows the opposite: clean air is a key driver of development, health, food and energy security, and climate stability - an asset we must invest in."
The report - Hidden assets: The economic and health case for climate and clean air action - was released on the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, observed annually on 7 September.
"The case for action has never been clearer," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his message.
"Reducing air pollution protects health, boosts productivity, and builds more resilient and prosperous societies," while "accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels is one of the fastest and most effective ways to clean the air while tackling the climate crisis.''
The report estimates that annual benefits from implementing the 25 measures would be equivalent to 2.8% of global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2035, 4.5% in 2050 and 11.4% in 2100.
By comparison, explicit fossil fuel subsidies accounted for 2.18% of global GDP in 2022, while healthcare spending reached 9.3%in 2023.
Even when non-market welfare gains are excluded, such as the value of longer and healthier lives, the measures still return around $4 for every dollar invested.
Elliott Harris, independent co-chair of the assessment, said the findings should change how finance ministries and investors view clean-air policies.
"A benefit-cost ratio of 15 to 1 would attract capital instantly in almost any other sector," he said. "Every year of delay costs the world more than $1.5 trillion in benefits we will not get back."
The health stakes are severe. The report estimates that in 2025, exposure to human-caused outdoor air pollution, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone, was linked to 6.4 million premature deaths worldwide.
Household air pollution was linked to a further two million premature deaths, including around 300,000 children.
The report also examines the wider economic burden of illness. In 2025, outdoor air pollution contributed to 5.5 million new cases of childhood asthma, two million new cases of dementia and millions of cases of heart attack, pulmonary disease, diabetes, stroke and lung cancer.
By 2050, full implementation of the 25 measures could cumulatively prevent 144 million air-pollution-related premature deaths, including 96 million from ambient air pollution alone, as well as hundreds of millions of cases of chronic diseases.
Source: Emirates News Agency
