Air pollution laws are falling short, reveals UN report

A third of the world's countries have no legally mandated outdoor (ambient) air quality standards, according to a UN report co-authored by a UCL academic. The report - the first-ever assessment of air quality laws and regulations by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) - found that, where such laws do exist, standards vary widely and are often less ambitious than World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. In addition, at least 31% of countries that do have the power to introduce such ambient air quality standards have yet to adopt them. Air pollution has been identified by WHO as the single largest environmental health risk, with 92% of the world's population living in places where air pollution levels exceed safe limits, disproportionately affecting women, children and elderly people in low-income countries. Recent studies suggest possible correlations between Covid-19 health outcomes and air pollution. Co-author Professor Eloise Scotford (UCL Laws) said: "Governance systems for air quality really matter and this report shows they have often been neglected. "When people think about air quality standards, they usually think about scientific standards that set maximum levels for different pollutants.