Synergizing action on the environment and climate: good practice in China and around the globe

Air pollution affects us all to some degree. Whether live in highly polluted cities or the countryside, there is no escaping the impact dirty air has on our bodies and—as is now becoming apparent—our minds. Seven million people die every year from breathing unclean air. The good news is that these deaths are preventable, and that many governments around the world have taken steps to reduce air pollutants to protect their citizens and the planet. In Synergizing Action on the Environment and Climate, a report released, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), China’s Tsinghua University, and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition take stock of how a growing number of countries are addressing climate, air pollution and sustainable development as closely linked challenges with common solutions. The report shows that China and other countries’ air pollution and climate policies drive climate ambition and deliver immediate and long-term air quality and economic benefits, especially when governments integrate environment, development and climate policies across different ministries and at local and national levels.