Why a year of elections could accelerate action on air pollution

In 2024, more people than ever in history have headed to the polls to choose their next government, shaping their futures for many years to come. These new and yet-to-be-elected leaders across 64 countries, especially in the biggest carbon-emitting territories like the US, South Africa and the EU, will govern the very foundation of all our lives – the air that we breathe.

Of the many challenges our new governments face, air pollution is one of the most urgent: dirty air is the world’s largest single environmental health risk, with more than 99% of the world's population breathing unsafe, unhealthy air.

Whether they face votes in 2024 or in years to come, governments must act on air pollution. In 2022, 161 countries adopted a resolution recognizing the right to a clean, healthy environment. We must now hold all our leaders to this promise and make sure that low- and middle-income countries, in particular, have the resources needed to tackle air pollution and implement the policy changes so urgently needed.

As citizens, there could be no stronger case for voting with our lungs. Over 8 million people die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution – more than twice as many as from malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined. Children, whose young lungs are more susceptible to the impacts of dirty air, are most vulnerable: air pollution kills 2,000 children under five every day – more than one child per minute.

Beyond immediate mortality, air pollution is a public health crisis, increasing the risk of ailments such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, systemic inflammation, Alzheimer's and dementia. Indeed, the International Agency for Research on Cancer categorises air pollution as a leading cause of cancer.

The toll on our economies is equally staggering. An estimated 1.2 billion workdays are lost annually due to the effects of dirty air – which could soar to 3.8 billion by 2060 – and the World Bank estimates that the annual cost of air pollution-related illness and premature death is in the trillions of dollars globally.

Cleaning our air is also one of the most immediate ways to protect our planet. As the causes of climate change and air pollution are often the same, cleaning up our air will also help us to achieve our commitments to tackling the climate crisis. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has identified that action on air quality is key to “tackling the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste”. Despite this obvious win-win, just 17 countries included goals to reduce air pollution in their national climate action plans in 2021.

While every newly-elected government faces an extensive to-do list, from healthcare to the economy and the cost-of-living crisis, tackling air pollution will bring benefits that address many of these pressing issues. In the UK, for example, air pollution costs the NHS a staggering £20 billion every year. By championing a Clean Air Act, the newly elected Labour government can save around 40,000 lives every year, cutting its NHS bill and reducing inequality, and supporting economic growth.

In South Africa, seismic election results in May led to the formation of an unprecedented unity government. Air pollution has grown in the public consciousness in recent years. In 2022, a judge in the “Deadly Air” case ruled that the poor air quality around several coal-fired power stations in the Highveld Priority Area (see main photo) had violated residents’ environmental rights. Today, the newly elected administration is under pressure to actively address the health and climate impacts of the coal industry while simultaneously making progress towards improving air quality.

By showing strong leadership on air pollution, coupled with ambitious and bold policies and investment, governments will see benefits that go far beyond cleaner air. Ramping up action on clean air is critical to boosting health, cutting emissions, enabling sustainable economic development, and reducing poverty and inequality – all things that should be in every manifesto in this watershed year for democracy.

The issue of air pollution and its impact on our health must be placed high on government agendas. The policies our newly elected leaders put in place now will be critical not just for our health and climate, but for our collective future.