Clean Air Actions in Cities

The document outlines nine key actions for cities to combat air pollution, spanning transport, energy, industry, the built environment, and materials management. It emphasizes that addressing urban air quality yields co-benefits in climate mitigation, public health, economic productivity, and social equity. Each action is supported by real-world examples, such as London's Ultra Low Emission Zone and Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit system, to demonstrate scalable solutions for diverse urban contexts.

• Road transportation is a primary source of global ambient air pollution, contributing both exhaust and non-exhaust particulate matter (PM) even when vehicle fleets are electrified.
• Integrated transport networks and walkable city designs can significantly reduce fuel needs and car dependency. For example, Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system led to a 35% reduction in fuel needs by 2016, while Seoul's 'Downtown Road Diet' converted car lanes into pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
• Regulatory zones and trade-in schemes effectively accelerate the transition to cleaner vehicles. London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is the world's largest of its kind, contributing to estimated roadside NO2 reductions of 53% in central London, 24% in inner London, and 21% in outer London.
• Transitioning to renewable energy is critical as cities account for 67%-76% of global energy consumption, and fossil fuel power plants contribute to approximately 14% of global population exposure to ozone and PM2.5.
• Industrial emissions can be decoupled from economic growth, as evidenced in Europe between 2010 and 2022. Specific interventions, such as Barcelona's 'Nexigen' project for onshore power supply for ships, are expected to reduce berthing emissions of CO2 and NOx by 38%.
• Strategic urban planning and 'superblock' designs can lower pollutant concentrations. Barcelona's Superblock initiative resulted in a 25% decrease in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and a 17% decrease in PM10 particulate levels in the central Sant Antoni market area.
• Residential combustion for heating and cooking is a major health risk, with household air pollution linked to nearly 3.7 million premature deaths annually. Policy interventions, such as Beijing's subsidies for switching from coal to gas boilers, helped reduce atmospheric PM2.5 by 63% between 2013 and 2021.
• Improving waste management and adopting circular economy principles reduces the emission of super pollutants like black carbon and methane. In Hanoi, a school milk carton recycling program aims to save 111 tonnes of methane emissions by reducing 1,000 tonnes of milk cartons annually.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Clean Air Actions in Cities. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Clean_Air_Actions_in_Cities_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Clean Air Actions in Cities. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Clean_Air_Actions_in_Cities_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Clean Air Actions in Cities |date=October 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Clean_Air_Actions_in_Cities_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024clean, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Clean Air Actions in Cities}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Clean_Air_Actions_in_Cities_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }