Breathing the Same Air: Tackling the Twin Crises of Air Pollution and Climate Change

Nearly 99% of people breathe air that fails to meet WHO standards. Air pollution is now the second leading cause of death globally, contributing to over 7 million premature deaths each year—12% of them caused by pollutants from other regions. The crisis also hits economies hard, costing approximately 1.2 billion lost workdays annually and disproportionately affecting lower-income countries.

Air pollution and climate change share a root cause - fossil fuel use - and a common solution: a just energy transition. Around the world, leaders are crafting innovative strategies that target both crises together.

This panel brings together Yale World Fellows and Yale Climate Fellows - practitioners and policymakers from high-impact regions - to share grounded, local solutions that tackle air quality and climate resilience in tandem. They’ll explore the co-benefits and trade-offs of different transition paths, highlight on-the-ground innovations, and offer insights into collaborative strategies that protect both people and the planet.

Location: Trumbull Room