A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights the complex relationship between air quality and climate, showcasing both advances in emission reductions and the severe consequences of wildfires that have devastated various regions. The 2025 Air Quality and Climate Bulletin emphasizes significant improvements in eastern China, where emission control policies have resulted in fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels below the historical average from 2003 to 2024. Lorenzo Labrador, a WMO scientific officer, pointed out that these “negative anomalies” are an encouraging sign of declining emissions in the region.
However, this progress is overshadowed by a more adverse situation in other parts of the world. Wildfires, exacerbated by extreme weather conditions, have contributed to deteriorating air quality in areas such as the Amazon Basin, northern Canada, and Siberia, where “positive anomalies” of PM 2.5 have been documented, directly linked to intensely severe fire seasons. The smoke and pollution generated by these incidents do not respect borders, affecting even distant cities. For example, wildfires in the Amazon in August 2024 led to significant increases in PM 2.5 levels in Santiago, Chile, and São Paulo. Furthermore, the wildfire season in the Iberian Peninsula has been described as “historic,” accounting for the highest accumulated CO₂ emissions since 2003, with around 1% of the peninsula affected, resulting in smoke reaching Western Europe.
The bulletin also emphasizes the interdependence between air quality and climate change, suggesting that they must be addressed together. An example of this relationship is the MARPOL regulation from the International Maritime Organization, which, by reducing sulfur in ship fuels, has improved air quality, despite increasing warming by eliminating sulfate aerosols.
Experts warn that although initiatives to combat poor air quality are effective, they require time and a robust monitoring infrastructure, especially in developing countries. With air pollution becoming the second leading risk factor for death globally, a report from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation revealed that it was responsible for 8.1 million deaths in 2021. This reality underscores the need for governments to implement policies to mitigate the impact of these crises on public health and the environment, amid a landscape where extreme weather events and human actions continue to shape the air quality we breathe.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish
