This interactive tool provides a map of current national air quality standards for classical pollutants (e.g. particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone etc.)
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.
Planning and evaluation tools
A wide range of tools that support decisions on air pollution, and more generally for sustainable human settlements and urban planning, has been developed and made available for users by WHO-HQ and by WHO Regional offices. Such tools include models and frameworks, interactive websites, templates, toolkits, and software. These tools are of different types and formats, are aimed at different targets and fulfil different aims (education, raising awareness, offering guidance, making available scientific information and evidence, providing estimates) and encourage public policy that includes public health considerations.
Compared to other existing software used in environmental impact assessment or planning, the resources below provide enhanced analysis of household energy, housing, transport, and land use, at the national, district, or city level, and all have a significant health component.
Air quality guidelines
WHO sets recommended limits for health-harmful concentrations of key air pollutants both outdoors and inside buildings and homes, based on a global synthesis of scientific evidence. WHO guidelines cover annual and daily concentrations of particulates, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone and also provide qualitative statements on good practices for the management of certain types of particulate matter, i.e. black carbon or elemental carbon, ultrafine particles and particles originating from sand and dust storms (WHO, 2021). Guidelines also cover indoor mould and dampness (WHO, 2009) and emissions of gases and chemicals from furnishings and building materials that collect indoors (2010). WHO Guidelines for indoor air quality - household fuel combustion, set limits on emissions from cooking and heating stoves, as well as recommendations regarding clean fuel use.
22 September 2021
WHO global air quality guidelines: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone,...
Clean air is fundamental to health. Compared to 15 years ago, when the previous edition of these guidelines was published, there is now a much stronger...
22 September 2021
WHO global air quality guidelines: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur...
Clean air is fundamental to health. Compared to 15 years ago, when the previous edition of these guidelines was published, there is now a much stronger...
1 January 2010
WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: selected pollutants
These guidelines are targeted at public health professionals involved in preventing the health risks of environmental exposures, as well as at specialists...
1 January 2009
WHO guidelines for indoor air quality : dampness and mould
Microbial pollution is a key element of indoor air pollution. It is caused by hundreds of species of bacteria and fungi, in particular filamentous fungi...
12 August 2006
Air quality guidelines global update 2005
Clean air is a basic requirement of human health and well-being. Air pollution, however, continues to pose a significant threat to health worldwide. According to...
Ambient air quality tools
CLIMAQ-H is a tool to assess the outcomes of climate-driven policies and support decision-making by comparing the potential health co-benefits achieved by implementing NDC targets.
Software that quantifies the impacts of green spaces at urban scale. The tool can serve as an educational, communication and scientific support.
Predict and assess the effects of various proposed projects and policies on health
An online tool to estimate the value of reduced mortality that results from regular walking or cycling
Online repository of more than 100 open access resources and tools for integrating health in urban and territorial planning to develop healthy urban environments.
Household energy tools
contains tools and resources for countries to develop clean household energy policies and programmes
Repository of policies promoting cleaner household energy use around the world
Planning tool that calculates the costs and benefits of transitions to cleaner household energy
Model that calculates the emission rates required for stoves, heaters, or lamps to achieve air quality and health outcomes
series of templates for stakeholder mapping and situational assessment focused on household energy.
Predict and assess the effects of various proposed projects and policies on health
model that predicts concentrations and exposures of air pollutants from cooking, heating & lighting
Other resources of interest
Reports:
WHO Regional Office for Europe (2020). Compendium of tools, resources and networks.
WHO European Healthy Cities Network Phase VII (2019–2024). Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe
More details here