Eleven countries across the Asia-Pacific region have joined the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch two major initiatives aimed at reducing the growing health burden of air pollution and climate-related heat: a Western Pacific Regional Road Map on Air Quality and Health and a Community of Practice on Air Pollution and Health Impact Assessment.
The initiatives were announced at the Regional Action Forum on Health Impact Assessment and the Synergistic Effects of Air Pollution and Heat, co-organized by the WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region (ACE) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore’s (NTU Singapore) Center for Climate Change and Environmental Health (CCEH), with the support of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health.
Air pollution remains one of the leading environmental causes of illness and premature death globally, including across Asia and the Pacific. Rising temperatures are further amplifying health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations.
“These new initiatives will help countries place health at the centre of air quality policies, strengthen evidence-based decision-making and accelerate action to protect communities,” said Dr Sandro Demaio, Director of WHO ACE.
The Western Pacific Regional Road Map on Air Quality and Health will provide a shared framework at the regional level for countries to integrate health considerations into air quality management and climate policies. Aligned with WHO’s global road map on air pollution and health, as well as other key international and regional frameworks, it will support countries in strengthening institutional capacity, using health evidence to guide policy decisions and advancing actions that deliver cleaner air and healthier populations.
The second initiative – the Western Pacific Community of Practice on Air Pollution and Health Impact Assessment – will establish a regional platform connecting ministries of health, academic institutions, WHO collaborating centres and other technical partners. The network will support peer learning, technical exchange, training and mentorship to strengthen countries’ capacity to assess the health impacts of air pollution and the benefits of cleaner air interventions.
“Building capacity requires sustained collaboration beyond individual meetings and training programmes,” said Mr Josselyn Mothe, Technical Officer for Air Quality, Energy and Health at WHO ACE. “The Community of Practice will help countries learn from one another, share practical experiences and strengthen the use of health evidence to inform policies that improve public health.”
More than 100 health policy officials and air quality management practitioners, researchers, public health experts and development partners participated in the Forum.
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Participants and leading researchers during the first day of the Forum. © NTU CCEH / Victor
Representing NTU Singapore’s Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Health (CCEH) – co-organizer of the Forum with WHO – Steve Yim, Professor at the Asian School of the Environment, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and the founding director of CCEH, said, “CCEH’s core strength lies in our capacity to translate interdisciplinary research into actionable public health solutions. Through the CCEH, we combine scientific excellence in climate science, artificial intelligence and public health with a deep commitment to societal impact. By co-convening this Forum and co-funding these vital initiatives alongside WHO, NTU CCEH is not only providing the scientific foundation but also fostering the regional collaboration required to build resilient health systems against the dual threats of air pollution and extreme heat.”
The new initiatives contribute to WHO’s efforts to strengthen Member States’ capacity to assess environmental health risks, build climate-resilient health systems and reduce the health burden associated with air pollution across the Western Pacific Region.
“The future of air quality management is one where health is a core driving principle, and not an outcome measured at the end of the process, said Dr Enkhtsetseg Shinee, Coordinator at WHO ACE. “These two initiatives provide a shared vision and practical pathway for countries to address air pollution challenges and its synergistic effects with heat, through integrated, evidence-informed action.”
This meeting was possible thanks to generous co-funding from the NTU CCEH and WHO funding from the Wellcome Trust.
The 11 countries that participated in the Forum were: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
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About WHO ACE
The WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region (ACE), based in Seoul, Republic of Korea, falls under the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific based in Manila, Philippines, and supports Western Pacific countries and areas in addressing the health impacts of climate change and environmental risks, and in building resilient, sustainable health systems.
For media interviews or further information, please contact:
Josselyn Mothe, WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region, mothej@who.int
Hye Young Song, WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region, hsong@who.int
WHO Western Pacific Communications, wprocom@who.int