Air quality, energy and health

The unit provides technical support to WHO’s Member States in the development of normative guidance, tools and provision of authoritative advice on health issues related to air pollution and its sources. The unit leads monitoring and reporting on global trends and changes in health outcomes associated with actions taken to address air pollution at the national, regional and global scales.

About us

Technical information

Health impacts

Informing policy and progress

Outreach & advocacy

Planning and evaluation tools

Sectoral interventions

Data and maps

The Global Health Observatory (Air Pollution)

Database on electrification of health-care facilities

Highlights

WHO invites governments, agencies and organizations to pledge voluntary actions to reduce the health impacts of air pollution by 50% by 2040.

Stop polluting the air we breathe – prevent diseases and save lives

News

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25 June 2025

Joint News Release

Energy access has improved, yet international financial support still needed to boost progress and address disparities

12 June 2025

Departmental update

WHO’s “Beat the Heat” initiative making strides to protect workers and event participants from extreme heat and related environmental hazards

Feature Stories

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12 July 2023

Air pollution: The invisible health threat

6 October 2021

Launch of WHO's Household Energy Policy Repository

Factsheets

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23 April 2025

Sand and dust storms

24 October 2024

Ambient (outdoor) air pollution

16 October 2024

Household air pollution

31 August 2023

Electricity in health-care facilities

Questions and answers

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Air pollution: Reducing short-lived climate pollutants

Air pollution: Personal interventions and risk communication

Health-impact-assessment (HIA) and its role in decision making

WHO’s Fifth WHO Air Quality Database of over 6000 Cities

Calls For

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4 November 2024

Expression of interest

Call for expression of interest Consultant(s): Systematic review of the health effects of black carbon and mitigation opportunities

21 February 2024

Call for experts

Open call for Consultant: Impact investing, electricity access and renewable energy

Events

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25 June 2025 14:00 – 15:30 UTC Time

Launch: Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2025

18 June 2025 09:30 – 16:15 UTC Time

Webinars: Committing to clean air: next steps after WHO’s 2nd global conference on air pollution and health – the way forward for implementation

Publications

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Air pollution and health training toolkit for health workers: train-the-trainers manual

The APHT toolkit for health workers is a comprehensive set of training materials exploring different air pollution and health topics and reflecting global...

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Sustainable development goal indicator 3.9.1: mortality attributed to air pollution

In 2019, air pollution – both ambient and household – was the largest environmental risk to health, carrying responsibility for about one in...

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Clean household energy solutions toolkit (‎CHEST)‎: Household Multiple Emission Sources (HOMES) model

The WHO Household Multiple Emission Sources (HOMES) model can help policymakers and program planners determine how household air pollution levels and health...

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Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance in health and environment, 2024 update

This is the 2024 update of the Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environment. The Compendium is a comprehensive collection of available...

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Documents

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Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2025 finds that almost 92% of the world’s population now has basic access to electricity. Although this...

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The Energy Progress Report 2025 finds that almost 92% of the world’s population now has basic access to electricity Although this is an...

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The directory is an online repository with more than 200 open access resources and tools updated on a regular basis that provide information on the importance...

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The WHO Air Quality, Energy and Health Science and Policy Summaries (SPS) provide concise overviews of current knowledge and evidence on topics related...

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Initiatives