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A recent BMJ news item has highlighted the new summary of WHO
guidelines on air quality [1]. These guidelines [2] are likely to be a
valuable contribution in efforts to reduce the air pollution health burden
in both developed and developing countries. Yet the WHO document fails to
mention the link between actions to reduce air pollution and actions to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In a world increasingly connected by trade, politics and global
problems, synergies need to be highlighted at every opportunity. The win-
win opportunity between reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions together has previously been identified by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [3]. Similarly, actions to reduce air
pollution from vehicle emissions (eg, via better public transport systems)
are likely to reduce the road traffic injury burden. These synergies
should be explored more fully by WHO when it completes the full version of
its air quality guidelines.
References
[1] Zarocostas J. Air pollution is a major threat to health, says
WHO. BMJ 2006;333:722.
[2] World Health Organization. WHO air quality guidelines for
particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide: Global
update 2005. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2006.
The Critical Links between Improving Air Quality and Climate Change Action
A recent BMJ news item has highlighted the new summary of WHO
guidelines on air quality [1]. These guidelines [2] are likely to be a
valuable contribution in efforts to reduce the air pollution health burden
in both developed and developing countries. Yet the WHO document fails to
mention the link between actions to reduce air pollution and actions to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In a world increasingly connected by trade, politics and global
problems, synergies need to be highlighted at every opportunity. The win-
win opportunity between reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions together has previously been identified by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [3]. Similarly, actions to reduce air
pollution from vehicle emissions (eg, via better public transport systems)
are likely to reduce the road traffic injury burden. These synergies
should be explored more fully by WHO when it completes the full version of
its air quality guidelines.
References
[1] Zarocostas J. Air pollution is a major threat to health, says
WHO. BMJ 2006;333:722.
[2] World Health Organization. WHO air quality guidelines for
particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide: Global
update 2005. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2006.
[3] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Human health (Chapter
9). In: Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.
Geneva: IPCC, 2001. URL:
http://www.ami.ac.cn/climatechange2/IPCC_report/II9910/third/Tfd09_ALL.pdf
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests