Climate change, air pollution must be tackled together: WMO

Climate change is having a measurable impact on air quality and therefore human health, meaning the two must be tackled together, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday.

Lorenzo Labrador, WMO scientific officer said “Air quality and climate change should be studied not as separate subjects but should be studied together. They are inseparable in the sense that many of the gases that are responsible for climate change are also emitted by the same sources that cause air pollution.

Furthermore, there is an intricate link in the set of chemical reactions whereby atmospheric pollutants are produced in part from global greenhouse gases. WMO released the report to coincide with the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on 7 September. The theme this year is Together for Clean Air, focusing on the need for strong partnerships, increased investment and shared responsibility to overcome air pollution.