- This event has passed.
UN Clean Air Day (Worldwide)
7th September 2023
UN Clean Air Day (Worldwide)
The United Nations have designated a day to raise awareness of the importance of clean air.
Worldwide, every 7th Sept (note: UK Clean Air Day is on 3rd Thursday of June)
The quality of our air affects us in two ways:
Health impact: tiny, invisible particles of pollution penetrate deep into our lungs, bloodstream and bodies. These pollutants are responsible for about one-third of deaths from stroke, chronic respiratory disease, and lung cancer, as well as one quarter of deaths from heart attack. Ground-level ozone, produced from the interaction of many different pollutants in sunlight, is also a cause of asthma and chronic respiratory illnesses.
Climate impact: short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) are among those pollutants most linked with both health effects and near-term warming of the planet. They persist in the atmosphere for as little as a few days or up to a few decades, so reducing them can have an almost immediate health and climate benefits for those living in places where levels fall.