Real-world solutions for clean air and health

Air pollution is the largest environmental threat to human health worldwide. Health professionals and agencies are usually the most trusted voices in their communities, so when they are actively engaged on climate change and air pollution, they can reframe these issues as questions of public health and help move public opinion and policy.

With support from the Clean Air Fund, Vital Strategies has partnered with city governments to assemble a set of case studies showcasing real-world examples of how engagement with public health organizations and practitioners can accelerate solutions that promote clean air, climate and health simultaneously. As COP28 approaches, these case studies equip health decision-makers and public health practitioners with examples of real solutions, including:

• Clean air and climate policies where the inclusion of health voices was instrumental in their successful development or implementation

• Successful efforts to empower the health sector to serve as effective change agents

• Approaches to engaging the health sector in climate and clean air action, from cities with varying levels of local data and capacity

The six cities highlighted here are diverse and have different levels of economic development, socio-political backdrops, financial and technical resources, and climate and clean air concerns. Despite these differences, they have all been able to increase momentum and achieve some success in climate and clean air action, proving that every city can do something now.

We aim for these case studies to demonstrate to decision-makers and negotiators of the feasibility and co-benefits of ambitious commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).