Air pollution gets ignored in UNGA noncommunicable disease declaration

The U.N. political declaration on noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs, set to be adopted at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly later this week, fails to sufficiently factor in air pollution, said experts — despite evidence showing it to be the largest risk factor for premature death and disease globally.

NCDs are a key topic of discussion at this year’s UNGA, with heads of state set to meet on Thursday, Sept. 25, to sign a “new, ambitious and achievable Political Declaration.” Reducing premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030 is one of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

But progress toward achieving this target is already off track. And experts tell Devex that a lack of decisive action on air pollution threatens to derail it further.