By: Abinaya Sekar | Program Manager – South Asia, HEI
In 2017, I spent nearly two months compiling air quality standards from countries around the world for a review paper. I later discovered that the World Health Organization had already compiled much of this information, which taught me a lesson I still carry with me today: access to reliable, relevant resources saves significant time and is the foundation for effective research.
Ten years down the line, we are overwhelmed by information, and AI can curate a list of resources in seconds. But some resources are particularly relevant to all in the air pollution field. They represent years of work by researchers, policy analysts, and visualization experts who have carefully curated them; their reliability, continuity, and sustained value make them particularly worth bookmarking. Below, we present key resources to access data and information across air quality science, policy, and implementation. Whether you are already working in air quality or environmental health science or have an emerging interest in the field, we hope this information will prove valuable.
Understanding the nature and scope of the problem
A fundamental understanding of the air quality challenges we face starts with reliable data on pollution levels. The databases listed in the table below provide data on pollution levels by country or city.
| Resource | Data Source | Coverage | Time resolution | Pollutant | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHO Ambient Air Quality Database | Official government monitoring data | Global (city level) | Annual | PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 | Understanding air quality levels in a city or country |
| OpenAQ | Government and other monitoring networks | Global (station level) | Near real-time | PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, CO, NO, NH3 and others | Accessing raw, real-time monitoring data |
| State of Global Air | GBD exposure estimates | Global, gridded (country & subnational) | Annual | PM2.5, NO2, O3, household air pollution | Long-term exposure trends |
| Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service | Atmospheric models, satellite observations, and emissions data | Global (grid-based estimates) | Hourly to daily forecasts and analyses | PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, CO, NO, NH3 and others | Forecasting and spatial assessment |
Resources to support air quality decision-making
The Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx) provides practical implementation resources for air quality management, including general guidance as well as sectoral guidance on key polluting sources such as road transport, household energy, agriculture, and waste management. Each guide outlines proven policies and measures, implementation steps, required capacities, as well as links to supporting tools and data. It is designed to be a ‘one stop shop’ for technical tools, models, data, and knowledge to build capacity among air quality managers.
Databases like International Energy Agency Policy Database and Climate Policy Database bring together the latest policy developments, legislative updates, and sectoral actions. UNEP’s Actions on Air Quality: Summary of Policies and Programmes report also summarizes air quality policies from around the world. Using State of Global Air (SoGA) datasets and additional resources, the UNEP Pollution Action Note is a good source for policies and actions at the country level.
Keeping up with the growing body of evidence
Several databases curate and organize scientific evidence, making it easier to find relevant studies.
- WHO Air Quality, Energy and Health Science and Policy Summaries (SPS) offer concise summaries of the latest evidence and current understanding of issues related to air quality, energy access, climate change, and health.
- In addition to these global resources, the Health Effects Institute has developed several regional databases, including:
- Database of South Asia – Air Pollution and Health (DOSAAH) covers air pollution and health literature and resources for South Asia.
- Literature Database for Air Pollution and Health Work in East Africa (LiNDA HEWA) covers air pollution and health literature and resources for East Africa.
- Spatial bibliography for Southeast Europe provides a bibliography of research related to air pollution and health in Southeast Europe.
Urban Policy Interventions to Reduce Traffic-Related Emissions and Air Pollution is a systematic evidence map developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge. You can use this resource to explore the effectiveness of different interventions and policy scenarios and identify options that could help you plan air pollution interventions in your city or region.
Building a practice of science communication
Collaboration is essential for effective action on air pollution, and compelling messaging and case studies help attract collaborators. Communication starts with understanding your audience and connecting in a way that meets them where they are at. Fortunately, there are many science communicators working to bridge the gap between the generation of resources and data and the people using them. Through these efforts, there are a range of communication toolkits that are available to help translate complex air pollution evidence into meaningful messages that resonate with different audiences.
- EU communication toolkit — Communicating on Air Quality and Health: Inspiring Practices, Challenges and Tips provides practical examples for communicating the links between air quality, health, and policy or behavioural change.
- Region-specific toolkits: Region-specific communication resources are also available, including:
Beyond communication toolkits, there are also excellent educational resources for teaching air pollution in schools and universities. Urban Emissions has developed interactive games and learning activities that make air pollution concepts accessible and engaging for a wide range of audiences.
If science communication excites you, step into communities where ideas evolve together. The Air Quality Communications Network (AQCN), where communicators, researchers, and practitioners collaborate to rethink, refine, and advance the art and impact of air quality communication.
Climate Visuals is a database of photographs and visual resources and includes a selection of photographs on air pollution. It will help communicators choose visuals that are more likely to engage audiences effectively. It is publicly accessible and free to use.
What Other Resources Would You Recommend?
This curated collection of resources is intended to serve as a starting point that may help you navigate the field more efficiently. These resources only capture a fraction of the many tools available. This work is constantly evolving, with new datasets, tools, policies, and evidence emerging every year at the city, state, national and global level.
If you know of other valuable resources, please contact us at contactsoga@healtheffects.org.
