Created by the UN in 2019 this is a day to appreciate the importance of clean air and the need to reduce air pollution to protect the health of humans and the environment. Air pollution is the single greatest environmental risk to human health and one of the main avoidable causes of death and disease globally. It also has a negative impact on ecosystems and drives the climate crisis.

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said: ‘Like many societal ills, air pollution reflects global inequalities. Poverty forces people to live close to sources of pollution, like factories and highways, and burn solid fuels or kerosene for cooking, heating, and lighting. The pollution that is damaging our health is also driving the climate crisis. I call on all countries to do more to improve air quality, invest in renewable energy instead of fossil fuels, phase out coal, and transition to zero emission vehicles.’