Deteriorating air quality causes 6 million deaths annually and huge losses in the global economy

Despite the increasing threat of air pollution to health and the economy, large areas of the world still lack the data necessary to measure the problem, identify its sources, and follow the impact of policies directed to reduce it. Air pollutants cause about 6.7 million premature deaths annually, while their global economic cost is estimated at about $8.1 trillion, equivalent to approximately 6% of the global gross domestic product.

But the magnitude of the losses is not matched by a similar ability to monitor air quality; In 2024, 36% of the world’s countries lacked any tools to monitor pollution levels, while about one billion people live in 71 countries where there is no evidence that their governments measure the quality of the air that residents breathe.

These numbers reveal a gap that goes beyond the lack of sensors, to include ownership of data, its availability, accuracy, and its ability to reach decision makers. In an effort to address these challenges, the World Economic Forum’s Global Council on Clean Air Futures (EG_PH_11__) has developed five guiding principles that help governments, financiers, businesses and civil society turn measurements into concrete action. These principles represent a proposed framework for action, not a binding international standard.

Billion people outside air quality monitoring networks

The data gap is more severe in communities with high levels of fine particulate matter. In parts of Central Africa, South Asia and Latin America, some 300 million people live without a single reference monitoring station that publishes fully open data, despiteThese areas record some of the highest levels of pollution within their territories.

This does not necessarily mean that there are no attempts to measure air quality. There may be limited devices or projects, but the data may remain closed, irregular, or published in formats that are difficult to use. Without reliable and up-to-date information, it becomes difficult for governments to identify sources of emissions, for communities to know the extent of their exposure, or for funders to assess the impact of environmental projects.

This challenge is linked to goal 3.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aims to reduce deaths and diseases resulting from air, water and soil pollution. It also relates to indicator 3.9.1, related to the death rate attributed to household and outdoor air pollution, which is an indicator that requires accurate data on exposure and health risks.

The data paradox: more measurements, less availability

The past decade has seen the widespread proliferation of low-cost sensors, coupled with continued investment in reference monitoring stations, making air quality measurement possible in areas that did not previously have this capability. However, producing data does not necessarily mean that it will be accessible to the public or used in policy making.

Some governments may lack the digital infrastructure necessary to disseminate information, or do not prioritize open access. Official bodies may also hesitate to announce pollution levels for fear of its impact on the country’s image or tourism and investment, especially when acknowledging the problem requires high investments and long-term solutions.

In other cases, sensor companies impose conditions that prevent the buyer from owning the data generated by the device orShare it on other platforms. The mere fact that a funder asked these companies about their data ownership policies prompted about 30% of them to change their positions, highlighting the influence of purchasing and financing conditions on market practices.

Open data supports clean air policies

Open data does not reduce pollution levels on its own, but it provides the basis for setting priorities, developing legislation and monitoring results. When air quality data is published in a reliable, machine-readable way, researchers can analyze it, government agencies can compare regions, and citizens can monitor the performance of institutions and hold them accountable.

An example of this is Gambia, where a local open monitoring network, in collaboration with the National Environment Agency, helped support legislation to establish the first national air standards. And inUganda The AirQo initiative collaborated with government agencies to develop and operate national regulations and standards, based on locally owned and publicly available data.

In Kenya, a partnership with Nairobi County is working to integrate accurate local data into governance systems, so that its role extends to guiding regulations and measuring improvement. These experiences demonstrate that the impact of air quality monitoring is doubled when the data is open, understandable, and directly linked to decision-making.

Five principles for closing air quality gaps

The first principle is to scale up air quality monitoring to fill data gaps, especially in areas where measurements are deficient, while building sustainable local capacity. The framework stresses the need to include open data requirements from the project design stage and purchase and licensing contracts, rather than treating them as a later addition.

The second principle focuses on ownership and sovereignty over data, so that buyers of air quality measuring devices own the information produced by the equipment, and can share it on the platform of their choice whenever this is legally and technically possible. The lack of ownership limits the ability of governments, researchers and communities to use measurements.

The third principle addresses data quality and integrity, as publishing inaccurate information may undermine trust, while closed quality data limits public use. Therefore, effective monitoring requires calibrating instruments, reviewing results, documenting measurement methods, and making information available in a way that allows it to be verified.

This is linked to the eleventh goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on sustainable cities, especially goal 11.6, which calls for reducing the environmental impact of cities, paying special attention toAir quality. It also relates to indicator 11.6.2, which measures annual average levels of fine particulate matter in cities according to population.

Consolidating data and converting it into decisions

The fourth principle also calls for the use of standardized protocols and open data formats, so that measurements from different devices, cities and countries can be compared. Standardization allows information to be integrated within maps, scientific models and regional systems, rather than each network remaining isolated from the other.

This is consistent with target 17.18 of the seventeenth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on establishing partnerships to achieve the goals, which aims to enhance the capabilities of developing countries to provide high-quality, reliable and updated data. This goal becomes more important in the air quality file, because the absence of common standards weakens the ability to compare pollution levelsAnd follow trends over time.

The fifth principle sets a clear criterion for success: data is a means, not an end. The value of monitoring systems is not measured by the number of devices or the size of databases, but by their ability to drive actions that reduce emissions and improve the air that people breathe.

Shared responsibility for air quality data

Implementing the principles requires distributing responsibilities among different parties. Funders should include ownership and open publishing terms in grants and procurement contracts, while providing a clear definition of fully open data. Governments should also consider data resulting from monitoring funded by public funds to be publicly available information.

Sensor companies have a responsibility to give customers the right to own and share their data, while researchers and civil society can advocate forOpen standards, check company policies before purchasing devices, and publish data whenever possible.

In conclusion, Earth Defenders Foundation highlights that closing air quality gaps begins with building a system that combines accurate measurement, clear ownership, open dissemination, and the institutional capacity to transform data into policies. Equipment has become more available, and there is local expertise and leadership capable of working, but the absence of common rules wastes a large part of the value of these investments.

The reported experiences reveal that data gains its real impact when it is transformed into standards, legislation, and procedures that are measurable and accountable. Reduced pollution, improved population health, and the ability of communities to know the risks to which they are exposed remain the ultimate criteria for any successInvest in air monitoring.