Government officials, local authorities, health professionals, and civil society are gathering today at the second global conference on air pollution and health in Cartagena, Colombia.
As multilateralism is under threat, this convening is a crucial opportunity for policymakers to make progress on tackling air pollution globally. Organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of Colombia, the conference aims to accelerate action for clean air and improve global health.
The WHO has identified air pollution as the biggest environmental threat to human health globally. Each year, an estimated seven million people around the world are killed by effects from air pollution. Not everyone is impacted by air pollution in the same way. People with certain health conditions, such as asthma, pregnant people, children, older people, people with disabilities, people living in poverty, and other socially and economically marginalized populations are more likely to be affected by toxic air.
Burning of fossil fuels is a major cause of air pollution, and consequently, a major threat to human health. Human Rights Watch has documented the devastating impacts of air pollution from the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry in many parts of the world. For instance, we documented the devastating toll of extreme pollution on Louisiana’s Cancer Alley residents, where Black communities face the highest cancer risk from air pollution in the United States. In the United Arab Emirates, air pollution from the fossil fuel industry contributes substantially to the country’s burden of preventable death and disease. In Türkiye, we found dangerously high air pollution levels near one of the country’s biggest coal power plants, posing significant threats to people’s health.
The burning of fossil fuels is also the primary driver of the climate crisis, accounting for over 80 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Transitioning away from coal, oil, and gas is crucial to improve air quality and slow global warming.
Human Rights Watch joins more than 47 million health professionals, advocates, and individuals who have signed the health community’s call for urgent action to reduce air pollution and protect human health from its devastating impacts.
Breathing clean air is a fundamental human right, essential for the health and well-being of all, especially the most vulnerable. Countries have a duty under international human rights law to reduce air pollution, monitor its impacts, and enforce standards to protect rights.
