WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Member States at the World Health Assembly have overwhelmingly approved an updated road map for an enhanced global response to the adverse health effects of air pollution, reaffirming their commitment to protect populations from the world's largest environmental health risk.
Currently, 99 percent of the world's population breathes air that does not meet WHO air quality guidelines. The health burden from air pollution falls disproportionately on vulnerable and marginalized populations, particularly in low-resource settings where fragile health systems face compound challenges.
Air pollution is responsible for approximately 7 million deaths annually, primarily from noncommunicable diseases such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer as well as pneumonia. It is now recognized as the fifth major risk factor for NCDs alongside tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol, according to the World Health Organization.
The updated road map sets the first voluntary target to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040 through improved surveillance, knowledge synthesis, institutional capacity building, and global leadership. It provides practical guidance for health authorities to advocate for clean air, inform policy, and protect communities - especially those most at risk.
With this new Resolution, WHO and its Member States committed to scaling up action to monitor, prevent, and mitigate the health impacts of air pollution. The decision represents a critical step toward cleaner air, healthier lives, and accelerated progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
In a separate resolution at the World Health Assembly, Member States agreed to expand the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) to tackle the digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
