New research from the Clean Air Fund highlights a continuing gap in international funding to tackle air pollution.
The State of Global Air Quality Funding 2026 reports that less than 1% of international development funding went to outdoor air quality projects in 2024. It also found that five of the world’s most polluted countries – Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo – received less than US$2 per person to tackle air pollution that year.
For the respiratory health community, the findings underline the importance of prevention. Air pollution is a major risk factor for lung disease, including asthma, COPD, lung cancer and respiratory infections. Protecting lung health means reducing exposure to harmful air as well as improving access to diagnosis, treatment and care.
Investment in clean air needs to reach the communities facing the greatest risks. Action also needs to extend beyond healthcare, with decisions on transport, energy, housing and urban development all having an impact on the air people breathe.
FIRS supports a stronger focus on prevention as part of efforts to improve lung health across the life course.
Read the State of Global Air Quality Funding 2026 report.