Clean Air Is a Human Right: UN Expert Urges Urgent Global Action

The report outlines urgent priorities to ensure that clean air is treated as an essential component of the human right to a healthy environment.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, Astrid Puentes Riaño, has issued a stark warning to governments and corporations worldwide: failure to tackle air pollution is not only a public health crisis but also a systemic human rights violation.

Presenting a new report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Puentes Riaño called for immediate and coordinated action by States, businesses and international organisations to address the growing threat of polluted air. The report frames air pollution as a dual crisis—one that undermines both public health and fundamental human rights.

“Continued inaction on air pollution is a systemic failure,” Puentes Riaño said. “Under international law, States are required to act on the evidence they have.”

The report outlines urgent priorities to ensure that clean air is treated as an essential component of the human right to a healthy environment.

Billions Breathing Unsafe Air

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly the entire global population breathes air that exceeds recommended pollution limits. Air pollution contributes to an estimated 6–8 million premature deaths every year, making it one of the leading environmental causes of mortality worldwide.

Scientific research shows that polluted air is linked to 83% of noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic respiratory illnesses. Evidence increasingly indicates that air pollution damages nearly every organ in the human body, contributing not only to early death but also to long-term disability, developmental disorders and reduced quality of life.

Despite this mounting evidence, the report notes that many governments continue to prioritise economic growth and industrial expansion over environmental protection and public health safeguards.

“Clean air is vital and a substantive element of the human right to a healthy environment,” the Special Rapporteur stated. “Yet most of the world’s population still does not breathe healthy air due to weak environmental protections and insufficient regulation.”

Unequal Exposure Deepens Global Inequality

The report highlights that the burden of air pollution is not shared equally. Vulnerable populations—including children, women, the elderly, pregnant people, outdoor labourers and individuals with existing health conditions—face significantly higher levels of exposure.

In many cases, people living in heavily polluted areas have little or no ability to avoid the risks.

“Where exposure is shaped by immutable factors, air pollution increases inequality and discrimination,” Puentes Riaño said. “The right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment cannot be realised where entire communities have no choice but to breathe unclean air.”

Urban areas, industrial zones and communities located near major transport corridors often experience the most severe pollution levels, disproportionately affecting low-income populations.

States Have Legal Obligations

The UN report stresses that international human rights law already places clear responsibilities on governments to protect citizens from environmental harm.

These obligations include:

• Preventing foreseeable health and environmental damage caused by pollution

• Regulating and monitoring industrial and commercial emissions

• Ensuring transparent public access to environmental information

• Protecting vulnerable and high-risk populations

• Providing effective remedies when environmental rights are violated

The report also calls for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations and improved monitoring systems to track air quality in pollution hotspots.

Businesses Must Reduce Pollution

Alongside government action, the Special Rapporteur emphasised that businesses play a critical role in preventing and reducing air pollution.

Companies are urged to implement robust environmental and human rights due diligence, reduce emissions in line with scientific standards, and ensure safe working conditions for employees exposed to polluted environments.

Industries responsible for significant emissions—including energy production, transportation, manufacturing and construction—are expected to align their practices with international climate and environmental commitments.

Integrated Solutions Needed

To address the crisis effectively, the report recommends integrated strategies that combine air quality management, human rights protection and climate action.

Key recommendations include:

• Coordinating national air quality and climate policies

• Identifying pollution hotspots and targeting interventions

• Strengthening monitoring systems and data transparency

• Protecting vulnerable populations through targeted health measures

• Promoting cleaner energy, transport and industrial technologies

The report also calls for stronger international cooperation to support countries with limited resources in implementing clean air policies.

Clean Air Is Not Optional

Air pollution is already costing the global economy trillions of dollars annually in healthcare expenses, lost productivity and environmental damage, according to multiple international studies.

But the UN expert stresses that solutions are available—and that protecting clean air is not merely a policy choice but a legal and moral obligation.

“Air pollution is not merely an environmental concern; it is a critical issue that is already costing millions of lives and trillions of dollars in economic loss,” Puentes Riaño said. “But it doesn’t have to be this way.”

“Protecting people from air pollution is not only possible—it is required. Clean air is a fundamental human right, not a privilege.”