Despite efforts to reduce air pollution, recent analysis shows that measures to reduce air pollution account for only about 1% of development aid, while the overall cost of air pollution on health and well-being is estimated at over 8ドル trillion.

When considering that countries with lower incomes have less domestic finances to address air quality than developed countries, the poor and vulnerable across the planet are disproportionately suffering from its worst effects.

While measures to address this silent killer are lagging, its harmful impacts are not. Poor air quality is now the second leading cause of premature death worldwide, estimated at 8.1 million a year, behind cardiovascular disease.

In many places, it is getting worse. Around 99% of the global population is living in areas that exceed the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines.

Air pollution has detrimental effects which resonate far beyond personal health. It stifles economic growth, including increased burdens on healthcare systems, reduced productivity, lost working days and reduced tourism and investment opportunities. This translates into economic losses of nearly 5% of the global gross domestic product.

In Asia and the Pacific, an estimated 92% of people are exposed to air pollution levels that endanger their health, and the region is home to some of the most polluted cities in the world. Air pollution is linked to nearly one in four deaths of children under five in East Asia and the Pacific.

This is alarming but on a positive note, there are practical measures to improve air quality that can be an integral part of development projects.

It is estimated that every 1ドル spent on air pollution control returns an estimated 30ドル in economic benefits. While there is no one-size-fits-all model in tackling air pollution, we can identify various areas where shared co-benefits can make a big difference.

To address the air pollution challenge, we need to take a holistic approach which incorporates integrated solutions across different sectors. It requires reduction in the overall activity that generates emissions (e.g. reducing energy consumption), and reduction in the emissions intensity of that activity (e.g. fuel switching to cleaner technology) or a combination of both.

There are practical measures to improve air quality that can be an integral part of development projects.

Here are some examples of how a few key actions taken in development projects can help countries move the needle for clearer blue skies.

Provide better transport options. Designing projects that reduce the number of vehicles on the street and coming up with more efficient ways to move people and cargo and reducing congestion, will reduce air pollutants. Measures to improve public transport, particularly powered by renewable energy, with low emission zones is one of the effective ways to reduce vehicle emissions.

An Indonesian state-owned bus operator in Jakarta is replacing its fleet with battery-powered electric buses. This helps to conserve energy, improve air quality, and reduce emissions. While buses in Jakarta make up only 0.1% of all vehicles in the capital, they are responsible for 20% to 30% of local pollutants.

Increase renewable power generation. Projects that support transition from fossil-fueled energy generation and switching to renewable energy sources (such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and green hydrogen) substantially reduce air pollutants. The reduction of fossil fuels and enhancing energy efficiency in industrial processes are particularly important to reduce both air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

Bangladesh’s current measures to encourage businesses to invest in renewables to power its textile industry, a key generator of national export earnings and jobs, will also help address severe air pollution in the country, which is recognized as a key national challenge.

Better manage agricultural crop residues. The large farming sectors of Asia and the Pacific generate massive crop residues, the materials left behind after harvest. Burning off this agricultural residue increases emissions, health risks, and fire hazards. The efficient reduction or removal of crop residue or transforming it in products that provide economic opportunities for farmers, can be integrated into the design of development projects to improve air quality. Projects that reduce the need for fertilizers and increase efficiency in agricultural processes will also help to improve air quality.

India, where numerous locations are stifled with seasonal swathes of smoke from burning off, is supporting construction of biomass plants which use agricultural residue as feedstock. This is designed to provide power in a way that reduces the chance of smoky skies.

Improve solid waste management. Projects that concentrate on the development of waste collection, recycling, recovery, and advanced disposal systems can help improve air quality in urban areas. The effective management of waste reduces the need to burn it. This also comes with many other health benefits, as open landfills contribute to the contamination of drinking water, infection, and the transmission of diseases.

Provide incentives for improved energy efficiency in households. This could include reducing the overall energy needs for home activities such as cooking, heating, or cooling by retrofitting or upgrading household devices with cleaner technologies.

Moving away from burning coal, still prevalent in some parts of the world, will greatly reduce health risks, while the insulation of buildings to reduce heating or cooling requirements will also help. To engage local communities to reduce air pollution, it is essential to explore long-term and sustainable incentives to enable the shift such as subsidies for energy-efficient appliances and tax breaks for businesses adopting energy-saving technologies.

These measures are just a handful of examples showing how it is possible to tackle the scourge of air pollution while helping countries and communities chart paths to healthier air.

This blog post was developed based on the Air Quality Toolkit for Development Finance Institutions , which was conceptualized by the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Clean Air and developed by the consulting firm Ricardo and Clean Air Asia with support from the Clean Air Fund, Asian Development Bank, and other partners. Karma Yangzom, Simon A. Pollock and Maria Carmina Esguerra contributed to this post.