WMO Report Highlights Vicious Cycle of Climate Change, Wildfires, and Air Pollution

According to the report, ambient air pollution causes over 4.5 million premature deaths annually, with significant economic and environmental costs.

A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reveals the worsening cycle of climate change, wildfires, and air pollution, which is severely impacting human health, ecosystems, and agriculture. Released for Clean Air for Blue Skies Day on 7 September, the WMO Air Quality and Climate Bulletin emphasizes the increasing risks wildfires pose to air quality and highlights the harmful effects of particulate matter pollution on crops in 2023.

According to the report, ambient air pollution causes over 4.5 million premature deaths annually, with significant economic and environmental costs. The bulletin underscores the close relationship between air quality and climate, as pollutants and greenhouse gases are often co-emitted. The deposition of pollutants like nitrogen, sulfur, and ozone reduces ecosystem services, such as clean water, biodiversity, and carbon storage.

WMO Deputy-Secretary-General Ko Barrett stressed the need to address climate change and air quality together, noting that intensified heat and droughts in 2024 have exacerbated wildfire and pollution risks. Barrett called for interdisciplinary science and research to find integrated solutions to these growing challenges.