Climate change and air quality cannot be tackled separately.

Chemical substances that lead to deterioration of air quality are usually emitted together with greenhouse gases. Thus, changes in one inevitably cause changes in the other. 

Air quality, in turn, affects the health of the ecosystem, as air pollutants settle from the atmosphere to the earth's surface. Deposition of nitrogen, sulfur and ozone reduces services provided by natural ecosystems such as clean water, biodiversity and carbon storage.

"Climate change and air quality cannot be solved separately. They go hand in hand and must be dealt with together. It would be mutually beneficial for the health of our planet, its people and our economies if we recognized the interrelationship and acted on it,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

“This Air Quality and Climate Bulletin covers the year 2023. The first eight months of 2024 have seen these trends continue, with intense heat and persistent droughts increasing the risk of fires and air pollution. Climate change means that we face this scenario more and more often. Interdisciplinary science and research are key to finding solutions," said Ko Barrett. (More on wmo.int)