Achieving carbon neutral development will take a roughly 40-year-long structural transformation, especially in developing and emerging economies, where most people exposed to poor air quality live. In the meantime, 6-7 million people die each year by breathing polluted air. But does climate action always lead to better air quality? Likewise, do air pollution policies always lead to cooler climate?
This report brings much-needed realism to the climate and air pollution debate. It analyses international experience to identify effective pathways to coherent policy packages that harness synergies and manage inevitable tensions between climate mitigation and air-quality management.
It helps decision-makers to prioritize pollutants and emission sources and implement regulations that will encourage economic actors to implement technical and behavioral measures in a way that quickly saves people's lives while navigating the longer journey to a low-carbon future.