"Air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk to children worldwide, with nearly 2,000 children under five losing their lives every day due to its harmful effects globally,” said Anna Azaryeva Valente, Deputy Representative for UNICEF Colombia. "According to the latest study of environmental disease burden, air quality is attributed to 15,681 annual deaths in Colombia. This highlights the urgent need to protect our children from air pollution – it’s an investment in the future of our societies, economies and the well-being of generations to come."
UNICEF joined other UN agencies, governments, scientists, civil society groups and youth to commit towards a shared goal of halving the health impact of air pollution by 2040 during the Second WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health last month.
“Some 34 deaths out of every 100,000 in Colombia are due to air pollution – more than by murder – and Colombia has one of the highest murder rates in the world. We are dying from our own air,” said Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia and the country's host of the conference. “This conference reinforces our determination to implement policies for both the environment and the health of our people.”
More than 50 countries, cities, and organizations made major commitments from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare committing to support the health sector with actions in alignment with the National Clean Air Programme to Brazil committing to advance the establishment of the National Air Quality Policy and updating its air quality standards. These commitments have the potential to benefit more than 141 million children under the age of five in Brazil, Colombia and India alone.
“Forty-seven million people from the health community have issued a clarion call for urgent, bold, science-driven action on air pollution, and their voices must be heard,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The path forward is clear: the time for action is now, and youth are key players in this movement. The Emerging Leaders for Clean Air Forum, held by early-career researchers, youth advocates, health professionals, climate activists and educators ahead of the global conference, helped to elevate actionable solutions.
To maintain momentum, governments, civil society and the private sector can join the Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative to continue to share best practices and advocate to protect child health and development from the impact of climate change and environmental degradation, including air pollution.
This session recording during the Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health provides an overview of the health risks associated with air pollution exposure in children, from prenatal stages to young adulthood. It highlights how a primary health care approach can safeguard children’s health, showcasing examples of multisectoral action, health system strengthening, and effective advocacy efforts.
