•NCD Alliance Calls For Swift Action On Clean Air Policies
A new global report has issued a strong warning to governments worldwide, urging immediate action on air pollution to reduce deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
The report, "A Breathable Planet: Best Practices for Clean Air Policies to Meet NCD Targets," published by the NCD Alliance with funding support from Haleon, highlights that air pollution is responsible for nearly eight million deaths annually.
Of these, 86 per cent are linked to NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, and chronic respiratory conditions.
The report expressed concern that despite the devastating impact of air pollution on health, equity, and the environment, it has not received the policy attention it demands.
The report arrives at a critical juncture, following commitments made in 2025 under the UN Political Declaration on NCDs and mental health. Countries pledged to intensify efforts against air pollution as part of broader strategies to tackle NCDs.
In the same year, member states also agreed to halve premature deaths caused by human‑led air pollution by 2040, in line with the World Health Organization’s updated roadmap.
Liz Arnanz, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the NCD Alliance, emphasised the wider benefits of clean air policies. “Acting on air pollution is not only essential for reducing the NCD burden, but also for achieving many other development goals,” she said. Arnanz pointed to shared gains across health, equity, the economy, and the environment.
The report identifies air pollution as the leading environmental risk factor for NCDs, causing as many deaths as tobacco. The burden falls disproportionately on low‑ and middle‑income countries, where vulnerable communities are most exposed. Examples of effective policies already in place include restrictions on vehicle emissions, phasing out fossil fuels, expanding access to clean energy, and promoting active mobility. These measures have delivered measurable improvements in public health and environmental quality, while also generating economic benefits and advancing climate action.
Contributing, Jose Luis Castro, WHO Special Envoy, warned that governments must now make decisive political and financial choices to align with public health goals. He stressed that the issue is no longer about finding solutions but about implementing them.
He urged governments to decide whether to persist with subsidies that fuel chronic respiratory disease, whether prevention will be elevated as a cross-government priority, and whether air pollution will be addressed within NCD and development strategies.
The WHO Special Envoy, said, "What this report makes clear is that the challenge is no longer identifying solutions. It is making political and financing decisions consistent with public health goals.
"Governments now face fundamental choices: whether to continue subsidizing systems that drive chronic respiratory disease, whether prevention will truly become cross-government priority, and whether air pollution will finally be integrated into NCD and development strategies rather than treated as a separate environmental issue."
Castro emphasised that affected populations endure overlapping crises of pollution, climate change, and disease, yet policies remain fragmented.
"The populations most affected do not experience air pollution, climate change, and noncommunicable diseases as separate crises. Our policies still do," WHO Special Envoy added.
Sarah McDonald, Vice President of Health Inclusivity and Sustainability at Haleon, described air pollution as “an urgent public health challenge, driving respiratory and wider health impacts which disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.”
She added, “This report highlights that scaling proven, cost‑effective clean air policies can improve everyday health and reduce the risk of NCDs. At Haleon, we are working with our partners to build evidence and drive action to help more people live healthier lives.”
The report underscores that future progress depends on translating political commitments into tangible action. With upcoming opportunities such as the UN High‑Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage in 2027 and ongoing climate negotiations, advocates warn that momentum must not be lost. Stronger integration of clean air policies into national NCD strategies is seen as essential to meeting global health and development targets.
