Heatwaves and wildfires are setting back air quality improvements, UN finds
A new UN report warns that climate-driven heatwaves and wildfires are creating a feedback loop that degrades global air quality. This trend is reversing previous gains in pollution reduction and posing significant public health risks.
Why it matters
The findings underscore the interconnected nature of climate change and public health, suggesting that traditional pollution controls are insufficient in a warming world.
A wildfire burning near the coast of Syracuse in Sicily, Italy, toward the end of last month. A wildfire burning near the coast of Syracuse in Sicily, Italy, toward the end of last month. Air pollution Heatwaves and wildfires are setting back air quality improvements, UN finds WMO report details extreme weather events causing climatic feedback loop with serious health consequences
Prefer the Guardian on Google Big increases in wildfires and heatwaves supercharged by the climate crisis are hindering improvements to air quality around the world, UN experts have said.
Regions that had recorded a fall in pollution emitted by cars and industrial sites are facing new threats to air quality because of exposure to smoke from wildfires, according to a new report, while rising temperatures caused by intense heatwaves are causing a surge in ground-level ozone.
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