Improving Indoor Air Quality
The GHF is leading a global health initiative called “Improving Indoor Air Quality: A Public Health Issue” to place Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) on the agenda of the World Health Assembly (WHA), with the objective of promoting the adoption of a WHA Resolution on Indoor Air Quality by 2028.
Through this initiative, we aim to catalyze meaningful change by engaging the World Health Organization and its Member States in developing a coordinated international response to this critical public health concern.
This global initiative builds on the momentum created by the first-ever WHO European Conference on Indoor Air Quality, organized by the Geneva Health Forum in 2023 in Bern, Switzerland. The conference brought together leading international experts, policymakers, and public health stakeholders, and marked an important milestone in elevating indoor air quality on the public health agenda. In the spirit of this pioneering conference, and as a direct continuation of the dialogue and partnerships it initiated, the Geneva Health Forum is now advancing this global initiative to translate scientific evidence into international policy action.
In many regions of the world, we spend up to 90% of our lives indoors, in our homes, workplaces, schools, healthcare facilities, public transport, and other enclosed environments. The air that we breathe in these spaces, which are intended to provide safety and comfort, constitutes a fundamental determinant of health, as low indoor air quality is associated with increased transmission of infectious diseases, acute and chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, reduced cognitive performance and productivity, and adverse impact on children’s development and learning outcomes.
The current debate on indoor air quality spans several interconnected topics, including:
While significant attention has been given to outdoor air pollution, indoor environments remain comparatively overlooked despite their profound impact on human health, and indoor air quality represents a public health challenge that affects everyone, regardless of age, geography, or socioeconomic status.
Most private and public spaces still do not meet adequate indoor air quality standards, and the standards related to buildings and health in the workplace are highly heterogeneous.
Although several national and regional frameworks exist, there is currently no coordinated global approach to indoor air quality.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of international collaboration in addressing shared health challenges. No single country, institution, or sector can solve indoor air quality alone. It is a global challenge that calls for global solutions — built on shared knowledge, aligned policies, and a collective commitment to the air we all breathe.
The “Improving Indoor Air Quality: A Public Health Initiative” aims to promote the adoption of a resolution for putting indoor air quality on the global agenda, in response to the major risks that airborne illnesses and indoor pollutants pose to public health. The initiative wants to :
Demonstrate the importance of developing concrete public health strategies to combat airborne diseases and improve indoor air quality
Prepare plans for the adoption of a World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution to prioritize indoor air quality as a global public health issue
Establishment of thematic European Conferences on Indoor Air Quality to promote Indoor Air awareness and generate enduring materials that can be further used as part of advocacy efforts
Development of a Policy Brief containing concrete and evidence-based recommendations for improving indoor air quality
Preparation of a World Health Organization (WHO) Resolution in favor of improving indoor air quality
You can download the full project presentation here:
To learn more about how you can partner with us, please reach out to:
irene.kostenas@genevahealthforum.com – +41 (0)43 500 40 21
